


The (Mis)Adventures of a Witch

by captain_trash



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Burns, M/M, Minor Character Death, Necromancy, Past Abuse, Past Character Death, Secret Organizations, Serious Injuries, Supernatural Elements, Threats of Violence, Vampires, Werewolves, Witchcraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-04 09:29:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 30,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16344224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_trash/pseuds/captain_trash
Summary: Trained as a witch, Aaron Burr's goal in life is to help as many people as he can with his magic. The people in the local town come to him with countless problems, and he does his best to provide the best solutions. Everything changes one day when a member of the Coven, a group of witch hunters with a strict code, shows up in town looking for Aaron. The truth of the past is revealed and everything Aaron has every known will be challenged.





	1. A List of Orders

**Author's Note:**

> In celebration of Halloween, I came up with this Witchy AU. What started out as a fun idea quickly became a in depth story. I hope you like it! Happy Halloween! 
> 
> Special thanks to [Abagel ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abagel/pseuds/Abagel) for editing every chapter and listening to me come up with new ideas. I honestly would not have been able to do this without them! 
> 
> *Tags will be added as the story progress

“One devil’s claw. Two peppermint leaves. One spoonful of ginger. Some holy basil. And a dash of cranberry juice,” Aaron recited as he added the ingredients to his small mortar. He paused for a moment as he stared at his table. A white circle had been drawn on the dark wood with a star in the middle. Aaron has spend nearly two weeks writing out all the text rune by rune. He checked again and again to ensure he copied each one correctly. The last thing any witch wanted was a misdrawn rune. It could easily turn a good potion into a terrible one. 

“I’m forgetting something,” he muttered to himself, going back through the steps in his head. He tried to resist the urge to get his spell book. He needed to memorize this spell and stop relying so much on the text or he’d never become a better witch. Aaron set down his pestle as he rubbed his eyes. 

“What was it?” 

Bellamy meowed loudly from Aaron’s bed in the corner. Aaron glanced at him in confusion for a moment before he snapped his fingers. 

“That’s right! Five white candles! I always forget the candles.” 

Bellamy rolled his eyes. Aaron ignored his judgemental cat in favor of gathering the five white candles he needed from the neighboring shelves. He arranged them around his mortar in a star pattern, making sure to line them up perfectly. With a quick wave of his hands the candles were lit and he returned to crushing everything together. Once the consistency was perfect he added a splash of water then waved his hand over the mortar. 

“By the power of Holy Light, and the power of Holy Goddess, please cure the dying human who drink this spell. Please cure them, no matter good or bad. Cure them with all of your power, and help them fight the fear. Let the light flow, killing darkness in its path. Let the dark die. As I will it, so shall it be!” he cast the spell, letting his magic flow through his veins. The mixture glowed for a few seconds before condensing into a solid cube. It was the perfect, bit size piece. Just what his client needed. He took it out of the mortar, wrapped it in a small bag, and set it aside to start on his next potion. He had at least two more to finish before tomorrow. It was odd for him to have so many orders at one time, but he was happy to be of assistance in any possible way. 

The first potion, a healing spell that would push back any illness, was for the oldest lady in town. Her family was paying Aaron fifty gold for it, though he couldn't promise that Death wouldn't take the woman in another way. Magic sometimes didn't work out the way people wanted no matter how hard Aaron tried. The next potion was for less dire circumstances. A young man wished to travel to the neighboring city and requested a simple good luck charm. Aaron had tried to suggest a protection spell as well, but the man believed that luck was all he needed. Well luck and his trusty sword. The last spell was one of Aaron's favorites. It was the first one he ever learned, and one that he tried very hard to perfect. It was rather simple, yet very important. A garden spell which, done correctly, could help change a farmer's life. The newest members in town had asked Aaron for help and he'd suggested the spell to get them started. It would hopefully give them a bountiful harvest for their first year, which would help get them on their feet.

Aaron had been nervous when he first came to the cabin three years ago. In some places, witches were seen as evil and wicked. Aaron heard stories of how they were hunted with pitchforks and sometimes even burned. His teacher reminded him time and time again to choose his new home wisely. His magic had guided him to this very spot in the forest, and he'd been here ever since. He built himself a small makeshift shack to get him started. Bellamy had not approved at all, but it was the best he could do with what he had. It'd taken him a month and half to venture into the nearby town, fear keeping him away, but his worries had been for nothing. The townspeople welcomed him with open arms and smiles. They loved the idea of having a witch as long as Aaron promised not to hurt anyone. Aaron swore before the whole town that he was a good witch, here to protect and help them however he could. He had lectured them on the dangers of magic and how Aaron couldn't cheat Death, Fate or Life, though he would try his best. 

Instead of taking coins in the beginning, Aaron traded his potions, charms, and spells for other people's talents. A lumberman who asked for a levitation ring helped Aaron turn his makeshift shack into a real log cabin. A brick mason built the fireplace in exchanged for some sleeping potions. A weaver traded a rug for some of Aaron's plant dye. He made deeper relationships this way, inviting people into his home to watch him work and getting to know them in return as they helped him build a home. His cabin was still small, only one room, but it was the perfect size for Aaron. In the corner was a large bed. Bellamy had since claimed it as his domain and Aaron could almost always find the cat laid out on his pillow morning, noon, or night. Right next to the bed was a small bookshelf home to Aaron's personal collections. Things he'd gotten from his teacher and others that he's collected from travelers or merchants in town. 

Across from the bed was a large fireplace, which served as the main heat source during winter and the kitchen. The rest of the room was dominated by Aaron's craft. Shelves upon shelves lined the other three walls, filled with jars of ingredients that Aaron used in his potions and spells. He tried to keep everything organized, but it was hard to maintain a system when he was in the moment. He had a habit of grabbing things and putting them back in random places as he rushed around his cabin. On the floor was a large rug depicting the nearby town's history, including the day Aaron first appeared in town. It was well made and soft to the touch. Four windows, one on either side of the door and another set on the opposite wall, offered fresh sunlight to filter into the room. At the end of the rug was a small trap door covering stairs that lead down into the cellar. It served as the perfect place for Aaron to store meat, cheese, and other foods that were better stored in the cold. Bellamy followed the light around the cabin, laying himself on the shelves or across Aaron's table. 

Speaking of the cat, he was up and about now. He jumped off the bed, making his way over to Aaron and jumping up on his shoulder. He rubbed his head against Aaron's cheek and meowed loudly in his ear. 

"What was that?" 

"I'm hungry," Bellamy complained, "Feed me, human." 

"I'm doing something right now," Aaron explained, finishing up the second spell, "Besides, you're a cat. Go hunt something." 

"You can't expect me to lower myself to such things," Bellamy retorted. Aaron rolled his eyes. He'd found Bellamy as a kitten, the poor thing left out in the woods by itself. It had taken some convincing to get his teacher to agree that he could take it home, but ever since then Bellamy has been at his side. A small spell gave Bellamy the ability to talk, though he often liked to complain in Aaron's ear about how unfair the world was when Aaron didn't cater to his every need. 

"Let me finish this first and then I'll feed you." 

"Ughhhh. I'm going to waste away into nothing while I wait," Bellamy whined, jumping onto the table and falling over dramatically. Thankfully he didn't knock over any of the candles. Aaron ignored his whining and wrapped up the spell. He placed the good luck charm in another bag, tying it off and setting it aside before he made his way over to the trap door. After lifting it up he disappeared down the stairs to collect some food. He grabbed some dry meat for Bellamy along with some cheese and bread. He'd cast a cooling spell on the cellar to ensure that it maintained its temperature no matter the heat outside so he never had to worry about his food going bad. When he came back upstairs, Bellamy was waiting at the trap door. His tail was moving back and forth in excitement, though Bellamy would deny how much he loved food. Aaron wished he'd hunt more often, but Bellamy hated getting his paws dirty. He was much more of an indoor cat unless he was riding on Aaron's shoulders. Aaron tossed the meat to him, smiling when Bellamy pounced on the food. He took a bite of his cheese and returned to his table to finish the last spell of the day. 

Some spells and potions, such as the garden growth, needed to be done at the right time of day. He needed the setting sun for this spell to work at its best, and now was the perfect time to cast. Aaron avoided any spells that called for blood, or sacrifice. Of course he read about them, but he'd never cast anything that dark. His teacher had been strict when it came to magic and its uses. Aaron had always wanted to help people, never harm them. Witches who harmed people, Aaron's teacher had warned him time and time again, ended up hunted by a well known group called the Coven. Witch hunters. Their very name was stolen from the witches of old. Most of them followed a strict code of conduct that dictated who they hunted; however, some of them didn’t care about the differences between a good witch and a bad one. They hunted any and all magic users to the death. Those were the ones Aaron had to watch for. Thankfully, he’d never had an encounter with a member of the Coven and he didn’t plan on that changing anytime soon. 

Aaron finished gathering what he needed for the final spell, switching his white candles for green and opening the door for a light breeze. He placed a pile of dried leaves and flower petals in the center of his table and placed his hand on top. He waited until the sun was in the right place before starting the spell. 

“Inch by inch, row by row, make this plants now grow. All it takes is some love I know, and a piece of fertile ground. Inch by inch, row by row, Goddess bless this plants they sow and then warm them from down below. And as I will it, so shall it be for the power lies in me.” 

The leaves and petals crumbled into a fine dust under his hand as he recited the spell. When he was done, he brushed them into another bag and set it by the others. He grabbed a piece of parchment and set about writing directions for each one. The first was to be taken by mouth. The second wore around the bearer’s neck. Then the third needed to be added to water first then spread over the land the farmer wished to plant. He knew that not everyone understood magic and it was best to outline how to use his potions and charms so his clients got the best results. 

“Are you done yet?” Bellamy complained. 

“Why are you so needy today?” Aaron wondered. The cat was quiet for a moment, prompting Aaron to look over at him. “Hey! Don’t scratch my pillow!” 

“Pay attention to me!” 

“Alright, alright!” 

Aaron quickly finished his notes and grabbed one of Bellamy’s favorite toys off the top shelf. The cat was on his feet right away, bouncing on the string in excitement. 

“I should have gone with a bird,” Aaron muttered, earning a shift bite to his ankle for his words. He chased after Bellamy in retaliation, but he was too quick. He took refuge outside on the roof, too high for Aaron to reach without using magic. Aaron gave up, sticking out his tongue instead and walking back inside. He grabbed a book and flopped on his bed. A moment later Bellamy joined him, curling up on his stomach as they both relaxed. Aaron reached down to scratch behind Bellamy’s ears as he read. He could hear birds chirping outside and leaves rustle from the wind, but his world was void of any other humans. Aaron liked it that way. As much as he loved the townspeople, this was the life he’d chosen to live and he enjoyed it much more when it wasn’t interrupted.


	2. Small Guests

Aaron was in the middle of preparing some ingredients for storage when Bellamy started acting strange. The black cat jumped off the table and made his way towards the door, pressing his ear against the wood for a moment before running away. He jumped up on the highest shelf and pressed himself against the wall to hide. 

“What’s wrong with you?” Aaron wondered, looking up and Bellamy in confusion. He didn’t reply, moving a series of bottles in front of him instead to prevent anyone from seeing him. Aaron shook his head at Bellamy’s antics. If something truly dangerous was coming then Aaron’s magical traps would let him know, but none of them had gone off.Instead, a few seconds later, there was a soft knock on his front door. Bellamy hissed lowly as Aaron stepped over and opened the door. Outside were three young children, two girls and a younger boy. 

“Philip, Frances, and Patsy! What can I do for you three?” Aaron greeted the children with a bright smile. They were frequent visitors to his cabin and now he knew why Bellamy had chosen to hide. Frances was obsessed with him, much to his displeasure. No matter how many times he hissed or clawed at her, France still adored him and always wanted to play. Aaron let the children into his cabin, being mindful to watch Philip and his wandering hands. The boy had a terrible habit of getting into things he shouldn’t and Aaron didn’t want to repeat of last time. He learned the hard way that floating children were very hard to catch. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. Burr,” Patsy said, being mindful to watch where she walked and staying close to Aaron. She was the elder of the three children and the only child of James, a miner, and Thomas, a blacksmith with a talent for decorative metalwork. She was mature of her age, which Aaron liked, and showed an interest in Aaron’s spellbooks. 

“Good afternoon, Patsy. How are you, today?” 

“I’m good. Did you get any new books?” 

“Just one, but I’m not sure you’ll be able to read it. There are some really great pictures though,” Aaron offered, pulling the book off the shelf and opening it on the floor for her. The book was written in an ancient language; however, the pictures were extremely detailed and safe for her to look at. He kept any dark books up higher where Patsy couldn’t reach. The last thing he wanted was to give the poor girl nightmares about the creatures who lived in the darkness. 

“Is it okay if I turn the pages?” 

“Of course. And let me know if you have any questions, okay?” 

“Okay.” 

“Mr. Burr, where’s Bellamy?” Frances complained, looking around the cabin for any sign of the cat. Aaron watched Bellamy press himself further against the wall and shook his head. Frances was the second older, and a rather sweet girl. She had a love for all living things, plants or animals, but she had yet to learn patience. Her father, John, was a fisherman who collected stray animals. Aaron lost count after they got their tenth one. He couldn’t remember now if it was a turtle or another crow. Either way, Frances was going to grow up to be just like her father in so many ways. 

“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere,” Aaron replied. Frances pouted, checking under the bed before giving up and joining Patsy with the book. It wouldn’t take long for her to get bored and start searching for Bellamy again, but for now Aaron let her be. 

“Mr. Burr, mommy told me to give you this,” Philip chimped, holding a folded piece of paper out to him. Aaron took it and set it aside, already knowing that it would be Eliza’s orders for the schoolhouse. Children has such a habit of getting hurt so Aaron supplied the teacher with a endless supply of potions to heal small wounds and stomachaches. Philip was the youngest of the three, and like his father, Alexander, he got into trouble way too often. Alexander was a merchant, traveling during the summer to bring back goods from far away cities. He always returned with wild stories of his adventures, most of which Aaron assumed had to be made up. 

“Thank you, Philip. Are you happy that your father has returned home for the fall?” Aaron asked, noticing that Philip had brought his travel bag with him. Probably to show off what his father brought. Philip loved showing off, though Aaron couldn’t deny him. The boy was very sunny and cute when he was excited. 

“Yes! He brought me back new toys! Would you like to see?” 

“I would love that.” 

Philip sat on the ground and started pulling toys out of his bag. First came five small men carrying wooden swords and shields. They were brightly painted with countless details including hair and buttons on their clothes. Next came a small toy cannon with rolling wheels. Then three men on wooden horses with long lances. Philip excitedly showed Aaron how the legs of the horses could bend. Finally, the young boy pulled out a large wooden dragon. Its mouth was opened to show off rows of teeth and it was painted a dark red color with spikes along its tail. 

“The dragon is my favorite,” Philip explained, “Daddy said that there’s no dragons around here, but I wish there was! I would find one and teach it how to be a nice dragon so it could live with me.” 

“A dragon couldn’t live with you, Philip,” Frances protested, “Your house isn’t big enough.” 

“I would build a bigger house!” Philip argued. 

“The house would have to be as big as the whole town!” 

“Then I would make it that big!” 

“Alright, alright,” Aaron tried to settle the children down, summoning a bag of catnip and passing it to Frances, “Why don’t you see if Bellamy will come play?” The girl quickly took the bag and opened it. Within seconds Bellamy poked his head out and gave Aaron a nasty glare, but he came down off the shelves and over to the young girl. Frances gave him some catnip, waiting patiently for Bellamy to eat it before grabbing him tightly. Bellamy pouted as the girl pet his head over and over again. Aaron could only imagine the whining he would hear after the children leave. 

“Now, Philip, I’ve been working on something for a while now and I wonder if I could use your toys to test it,” Aaron asked, turning back to the boy. Philip played with his toys for a moment before looking at Aaron with wide, curious eyes. 

“Will it break them?” 

“No.” 

“You’re not gonna take them right?” 

“Of course not. They’re yours.” 

“Will I like this something?” 

“I believe so.” 

“Okay!” 

Aaron messed with the boy’s curl until he started laughing, then waved his hand over the toys. One by one they glowed for a few seconds then returned to normal. Nothing happened for a long, tense moment. Long enough that Aaron feared his spell didn’t work. Finally, one of the toy knights started to move. He raised his shield then hit it with his sword. The others followed suit. The riders reared up on their horses while the dragon started to wake up. 

“Patsy look! My toys are moving on their own!” Philip exclaimed, crawling into Aaron’s lap to watch as the dragon let out a soft roar. The knights ran away and hide behind Frances before huddling in a group. Frances giggled, running her hand over Bellamy’s head as they all watched. The knights tried their best to sneak around the dragon and take it from behind, but the dragon wasn’t about to fall for that plan. 

“Get them!” Philip encouraged the dragon as it chased after the knights. Aaron kept his eyes on the toys to ensure that they acted out the scene in a way that Philip would like. If he wanted to dragon to win, then it would win. 

Patsy even abandoned the book in favor of coming over to watch the toys. Aaron made sure that none of them got broken as they battled the dragon and it was rather comical to watch how how each knight reacted. One rushed at the dragon, ready to stab the creature, but at the last second the dragon turned its giant head and the knight had to quickly use his shield or risk getting eaten. The riders tried circling the dragon with their lances out; however, Aaron waved his hand behind Philip's back and helped the dragon take flight. The children gasped in awe as the dragon flew around the room. The knights ran around in a panic, clearly unsure what to do now that the dragon had command of the air. 

"The knights aren't very smart," Patsy commented, shaking her head as they tried to stand on top of one another to reach the dragon. 

"The dragon should eat them," Frances agreed, "Weed out the weak." 

"Let's lighten the mood, children," Aaron suggested, shaking his head as Philip roared at the knights when they got close to him. The knights jumped back, sizing Philip up before starting to climb up his clothes. Aaron whistled for the dragon. The creature quickly dived down and started to pick the knights off Philip as he giggled. 

"I wish I was a dragon," Philip said. He leaned back against Aaron and looked up at him with a pleading look. 

"I don't think you're parents would be happy with me if I turned you into a dragon." 

"You could turn him into a dog. Eliza would probably like that," Patsy offered. 

"He should turn you into a cat! Then I can chase you," Philip replied. 

"Cats can climb trees to get away from dogs." 

"Well, then I'll be a flying dog." 

"Dogs don't fly, Philip." 

"I'll make myself fly." 

"That's not how it works." 

Aaron let them argue, already knowing that there was little he could do to stop them. Frances watched the two of them go at it for a moment before picking up Bellamy to shove her face against his.

"They're so silly." 

Bellamy gave Aaron a helpless look. He only shrugged. Sure, if he really wanted to he could throw the children out of his cabin, but truthfully he liked when they visited. They were fun and lively, asking the best questions and keeping Aaron on his toes. It made him feel more connected to the town by seeing what the future held. Philip may be a troublemaker, but he truly cared about the people around him and was very protective. Patsy was a natural leader and it was clear to see that she would end up running the town one day. Frances was more shy then the others, but her skills with animals and plants would be vital in the coming years. Aaron's spell on the toys started to wear off, and since Philip's attention had been overtaken by Patsy he allowed them to return to their normal state. 

"Mr. Burr," Patsy called for his attention, ignoring Philip who was still trying to bother her, "Am I still too young to be your student?" 

"Are you older than the last time you asked me?" 

"No..." 

"Then yes, you're still too young. Once you're a little big older we can talk about it again," Aaron assured her. Patsy had been asking for months now to be his student, but Aaron always gave her the same answer. He understood her desire to learn; however, he believed that she should focus more on her childhood than on magic. Aaron hadn't been given such a choice. He lost his parents young, and ran away from his uncle when he was still a child. If it hadn't been for his teacher and magic he probably wouldn't have made it to adulthood. He didn't want Patsy to walk into this life without experiencing other things first. Aaron sometimes wished he could go back and live as a child again if it meant he'd be allowed to enjoy it. But there was no spell like that. 

"Fine," Patsy grumbled, clearly upset by his answer as always. She rose to her feet and headed for the door. Philip whined about wanting to stay longer, but once Patsy decided it was time to leave there was nothing that would change her mind. Aaron helped Philip gather his toys back into his bag then took Bellamy out of Frances' arms. He bid goodbye to the children, giving Patsy a mindful look as a ring of flowers bloomed around her head. 

"Magic cannot be forced, child. It must be felt. One day, both of us will know when the right time has come," he advised. Patsy stared at him for a long moment, her bottom lip still poking out, but she finally nodded her head and guided the younger ones back to the town. Aaron cast a gently protection spell to ensure they got home safely, watching until they disappeared into the trees and he couldn't see them anymore. 

"I'm going to pee on your pillow," Bellamy declared. 

"Then you can sleep outside," Aaron replied without skipping a beat as he went back inside and shut the door behind him.


	3. The Werewolves

"They're late," Bellamy pointed out for the second time as he paced back and forth in front of the door. 

"They'll be here," Aaron assured him, turning another page in his book. He wasn't worried. He knew they would come. 

"What if something happened?" 

"Nothing happened." 

"But what i-"

"Bellamy," Aaron gently cut him off, looking up from his book to give the cat a meaningful look, "I would know if something happened and I would tell you. You know I would. They're just running slightly behind schedule. That doesn't mean something’s wrong. Relax. Come lay down with me." 

"I..but they've never been late before," Bellamy muttered. 

"You're right. They haven't, but none of my spells have gone off. I'm sure they have a reason for being late and you can ask as soon as they get here." 

Bellamy finally abandoned the door in favor of jumping into Aaron's lap. He curled up, his eyes still trained on the door, and tried to relax. Aaron scratched behind his ears to help calm him before running his hand down Bellamy's back over and over again. 

"If anything happens to them..." Bellamy trailed off, the threat clear in his tone even as his body melted at Aaron’s touch. 

"We’ll unleash hell, but not yet, friend. Not yet." 

Thankfully, they didn't have to wait much longer before their expected guests knocked on the door. Bellamy was off his lap in seconds, licking his paw and using it to smooth down the fur on his head before sitting proudly in front of the door. Aaron smiled knowingly at the cat’s actions as he stood up and opened the door. Outside, a young woman in a red dress was waiting with her small daughter. 

"Hello, Maria. Susan. How are you?" 

"We're well, thank you. I'm so sorry we're late. Susan couldn't decide what to wear," Maria explained as Aaron stepped out of the way to let them into the house. 

"Was it between the purple and blue dress again?" Aaron wondered. 

"They're both so pretty," Susan replied as she crossed her arms with a pout, "I can never pick." 

"It's alright, sweetheart," Maria told her, running her fingers through her daughter's hair to soothe her worries, "You did a great job choosing." 

"You did," Aaron agreed. He offered Susan his hand, spinning her in circles to show off her beautiful blue dress. She giggled and smiled brightly at her mother. The dress had been a gift from Angelica in town, and it was one of Susan's favorites. It went perfectly with Susan’s golden eyes, a trait she’d inherited from her mother. 

"Blue is a good color," Bellamy spoke up. Susan's smile only grew. She abandoned Aaron and her mother in favor of kneeling on the ground by Bellamy. The two started to whisper to one another, most likely plotting how to take over the world, while Maria and Aaron retired to his table. Aaron pulled out a chair for Maria before sitting down across from her. 

"Any new side effects?" he asked, pulling out some parchment. 

"None. She's still itchy in the morning, but it's not any worse than before," Maria answered, "I'm still mixing it with water for now, just in case, but I'm using less and less each time." 

"Let me know before you give it to her pure. I've been working on some morning after potions and I'm hoping that will help with the aches and itches." 

"That would be great. I can't thank you enough for all this, Aaron. Really. You are a lifesaver," Maria told him, reaching over the table to hold his hand. Aaron shook his head and smiled. 

"It's honestly the least I could do. I wish I could cure both of you completely. I'm still working on that, but it's slow going," he confessed. 

"Any help you give us is good enough for me," Maria insisted, "Will you and Bellamy be okay watching Susan again?" 

"Of course! Bellamy has only been looking forward to it for the past week. He has quite a few new tricks he wants to teach her tonight."

"Thank you. It'll be nice to go for a run," Maria admitted. 

"Just stay where it's safe," Aaron warned, peeking out the window to check on the rise of the moon. It would be nearly time now. 

"Come here, Susan," Maria called to the young girl, "Come to momma, little furball." 

"I'm not little," Susan complained as she came over to her mother and climbed up into her lap. Maria chuckled and held her daughter close, whispering something in Susan's ear to make her laugh. Aaron rose up from his seat and moved to the door, opening it a crack and slipping out. Bellamy followed before he shut the door behind them. He wanted to give the mother and daughter privacy for a moment. 

"Here's my plan," Bellamy said, "We're gonna start with a review of stalking, then move on to pouncing. Do you think it's too early to teach her kill strikes?" 

"Probably," Aaron advised. 

"I figured. I'll focus on pinning down her prey instead. That'll work." 

"Just go easier this time. I don't want to have to fix your tail like before." 

"That was an accident." 

"Sure it was." 

"It was!" Bellamy snapped. Aaron gave him a look. "Shut up." 

An owl hooted in the distance. The wind scattered leaves around Aaron's feet. He took a deep breathe, enjoying the cool forest air as they waited. Early nighttime was his favorite time of the day. The moon had started to take over the sky and the world felt calm. It was too early for danger to be lurking, though one never truly knew what was waiting around the corner. He knew there was reasons he liked such a time, but he didn't wish to dwell on such dark thoughts when he had an eventful night ahead of him. Thinking of such things could lead to nightmares and he couldn't risk taking a sleeping potion that would knock him out until morning. Maira and Susan needed him. Seeming to sense his worry, Bellamy moved to lay on Aaron's feet. The weight helped ease Aaron's thoughts and pushed back the memories. 

"Thank you," he whispered. Bellamy didn't reply. They both knew he didn't need do. Aaron returned to enjoying the silence just as something large and heavy hit the door. 

_Thud!_

Aaron jumped at the noise, laughing to himself for forgetting to leave the door cracked. He quickly turned the knob and out fell a large brown wolf. It shook out it's fur as it stood up. Even on all four legs the wolf was as tall as Aaron. It's golden eyes stared at him in annoyance for a second. 

"Sorry," he offered, "I always forget something." The wolf gave him an understanding look and placed it's head on his shoulder. Aaron couldn't help but wrap his arms around the wolf's head. 

"Any pain?" he wondered. The wolf shook its head. "Good. Make sure you stay towards the mountains, and if you run into any trouble my spells will let me know." The wolf pulled away and licked Aaron's cheek as a way of showing it understood. Aaron laughed, wiping off the droll on his cheek. 

"Please remember to take a bath before you come back," he reminded the wolf, "I don't want to have to clean my cabin again." The wolf nodded, then let out a loud howl and took off towards the mountains in the distance. 

"Have fun, Maria!" Aaron called, waiting the wolf disappearing into the trees. 

"Reviewing what we went over last week-" Bellamy started his lecture the same way he always did. 

"Can you wait until I feed her?" Aaron cut him off, looking back towards the cabin to find Bellamy sitting in front of a small wolf pup. The pup stared up at Aaron with the same golden eyes as the large wolf and let out the small yip. Aaron smiled, stepping over and picking the pup up before Bellamy could protest. "Who's the sweetest little furball in all the land? You are! Yes, you are!" The pup licked at his face, getting his nose and forehead before Aaron held her away from him. 

"Apparently you need a bath," Bellamy commented, jumping up on the table as Aaron carried the pup inside and set her on the bed. 

"Haha," Aaron muttered as he reached for a jar he kept on one of the higher shelves. He opened it, laughing as the pup started bouncing around on the bed. 

"You're so excited! I made your favorite. You'll have to let me know if you liked them in the morning okay?" The pup nodded and Aaron passed her some treats before taking a seat on the bed. Within seconds there were gone. The pup started sniffing at Aaron's hands for more. 

"No more," he confessed. The pup growled softly. "Susan, we don't growl at friends, remember?" 

"Or at least not friends who give us food," Bellamy added. Susan licked his hand instead to apologize then jumped off the bed. She yipped at Bellamy, getting low to the ground and wagging her tail. 

"Now can we start our lesson?" 

"Go ahead." 

Bellamy descended from the table and resumed his lecture. Aaron sat back on the bed to watch. Together, the cat and the wolf pup went through the motions of how to stalk prey, then how to pounce and pin it down. When they were ready, Bellamy nodded to Aaron and he animated a small, stuffed bunny that was the right size for Susan to practice on. Over and over again they went through the same exercise until Bellamy declared it was up to his standards. Susan enjoyed herself, her tail wagging in between each and every round. Bellamy and Susan's friendship had started the moment they met. 

The young girl had been shy, hiding behind her mother's skirts as she looked around Aaron's cabin. It'd been Bellamy who got her to come out of her shell. She was still quiet around other children, not used to being around so many humans and still trying to get use to them, but she was getting better each and every day. Aaron helped as much as he could with his werewolf potions. Finding the perfect blend had been a challenge. The potion had to be strong enough to allow Maria and Susan to keep their humanity during the change, but also ease their pain. Aaron always worried about the side effects, trying his best to change different levels of ingredients until he got the perfect mixture. Maria and Susan weren't the first werewolves he'd met; however, they were the youngest. 

Maria never talked about how she obtained the curse, but Aaron knew it had to have happened before Susan's birth. He refused to ask any questions, understanding how painful the past could be. Thankfully, the townspeople had been welcoming when they arrived in town. Angelica Schuyler, the eldest daughter of the mayor, had taken a liking to Maria and given her a job in the Mayor's office. Susan went to school three times a week as she learned to socialize while Eliza tutored her one on one to help her catch up. 

"Very good, Susan!" Bellamy praised. She yipped in excitement and jumped on him. Bellamy fell over, letting her win without a fight as she licked at his ears and neck. He put up with so much when it came to Susan, but would never let anyone else get away with the same thing. Aaron set the stuffed bunny back to its home on a shelf and summoned down a small piece of wood in the shape of a ring. He tossed it on the ground, laughing when Susan attacked it. He made it safe for her to chew on, giving her something to bite and tear without having to worry that she might get splinters or break the toy. 

Bellamy stretched out on the ground to watch her play. Aaron shut his eyes for a moment, casting out his magic to check on Maria. He easily located her at the base of the mountains and his protection spell was still firmly in place. He casted the spells just in case any hunters decided to come looking for wolves. Aaron could be at Maria's side in seconds to help keep her safe while Bellamy guarded Susan. He often wondered what the pair had done before they came to town. Werewolves usually didn't cause any trouble to humans, but there have been sad occasions where a human got too close to a hungry wolf and it ended badly for everyone involved. 

It didn’t take long for Susan to run out of energy. She abandoned her toy in favor of climbing up on the bed with Aaron. He shifted to lie against the pillows with Susan on his chest. Bellamy joined them a moment later. Within seconds, Susan was sleeping. Bellamy went next. Aaron stayed awake late into the night until Maria returned. She was still wet from the river, her fur dripping onto the floor. Aaron nodded and she was suddenly dry. Maria shivered at the change, then made her way over to the bed and crawled in. Now that she was back, Aaron felt safe closing his eyes. He quickly locked the door and let the soft snores of the others carrying him off to sleep.


	4. The Vampire

“Sneak, sneak, sneak, sneak,” Bellamy mumbled under his breath as Aaron walked behind him through the forest. 

“Okay, it was funny the first couple times,” Aaron confessed, scanning the ground for the plants he needed, “but now you’re just being annoying.” 

“You’re the one who told me to be sneaky.” 

“I did not say it like that. I told you to be a little more quiet so you don’t scare anything.” 

“That’s what I’m doing.” 

“Do we need to talk about the definition of quiet?” 

“I don’t know loudmouth, do we?” 

“I’m starting to think that you want me to turn you into a worm for a week,” Aaron threatened, wondering what the hell had gotten into Bellamy. He’d been like this all day. Snippy and mean for no reason. Aaron asked time and time again what was wrong. All he got was a loud hiss and a scratch along his arm. He had) healed the wound, but that still didn’t stop him from worrying that something was deeply wrong with his friend. 

“Like you could,” Bellamy growled, silently disappearing into a bush.

Aaron sighed and wrapped his arm around his waist as he studied the forest floor. This wasn’t the first time Bellamy and he had gotten into a fight. Fights happened. They always got passed it, but this time felt different and Aaron didn’t know what to do. Maybe Bellamy didn’t want to stay anymore. Maybe he was trying to push Aaron away to prompt Aaron to break their connection. Aaron shook his head. It wouldn’t help him to dwell on it. He continued through the forest until he came to a large cedar tree. Pulling his knife from his belt, Aaron cut off some of the tree’s bark. He checked that it was bug free and added it to his bag. 

He still needed to find ivy, blackberries, and elder. He had to wait until midnight to harvest the blackberries, but he would probably find some elder along the way. The small white flowers were hard to find sometimes. Aaron could use a spell to seek them out; however, that took away all the fun. Instead, he cast a faint light to guide him on his path. Deeper and deeper he went into the forest, getting further away from his cabin. He put up a protection shield before he left that would alert him if anything came too close so he wouldn’t be worried about anything lurking. He tried not to worry about Bellamy but his mind kept coming back to his friend. 

 

Had Aaron done something wrong? He tried to think back on the past week, but nothing came to mind. He'd made sure Bellamy had everything he needed and the creature hadn't made any special requests. He wished Bellamy would just tell him so Aaron could fix it, yet he knew the cat wouldn't make things that simple. He never did. Aaron sighed again and nearly tripped over a tree root. This day was not turning out the way he expected. Perhaps it was best for Aaron to give Bellamy some space. He could offer to take a trip without him, spent some time traveling to collect more hard to find supplies. He'd only done that once before when Bellamy had fallen ill and Aaron went on a search for a cure. It was years ago, and since then Bellamy hadn't left his side. That could really be it. Bellamy could simply need some time to himself. Aaron would be happy to accommodate him. He wanted Bellamy to be happy. He just needed the cat to tell him this was the right course of action. Aaron didn't like flying blind. He'd lived long enough being forced to watch what's behind every corner and door that now he hated mysteries and surprises. No matter how well natured they are, he still feared they would bring him pain instead of happiness. 

Aaron felt a tug at the back of his mind. Something had stepped inside his shield. It was carefully crafted to not alert him to small animals like rabbits or squirrels, but it did go off if a wolf, fox, or deer got close. Depending on the week or month those animals met the Goddess sooner than they hoped. Thankfully, today Aaron didn't need any supplies from such gentle creatures and he ignored the warning for now as he kept walking. Finally, he came upon a small patch of elder and knelt down to start collecting the flowers and stems. He took the time to separate the plant now, placing the flowers in one small pouch and the leaves and stems in another. Each part served a different purpose and it was easier to pull the plants apart now then later when he was in the middle of mixing a potion. Again, his shield tugged at his mind. Perhaps it was Bellamy moving around the edge of the shield, or a simple animal wandering. Either way, it caught Aaron's attention this time and he glanced around at the trees. 

"Bellamy?" he softly called. There was no reply. 

"Hello?" he tried again. 

"It seems that luck is on my side," a surly voice answered. Aaron was on his feet in seconds, turning around just in time to come face to face with a blond haired man with blue eyes. 

"Are you lost?" Aaron wondered, taking a step back from the stranger. The man closed the distance with a step of his own. 

"Not anymore," he replied with a smile. Something about it set off warning bells in Aaron's mind. His teeth were just on the edge of too sharp and his eyes had a dangerous glint. 

"I don't believe we've ever met before, sir." 

"I'm sure we haven't," the man agreed, "I would remember something with a face like yours. So sweet and tender." 

"You flatter me. What is your name, kind stranger?" 

"George. George King." 

"George King. My pleasure. I'm Aaron," Aaron offered his own name, being mindful to keep his last name to himself until he knew for sure that the stranger was human. Some creatures stole names. Others used them for control. One could never be too careful about who they offered their name to. 

"What a wonderful name for such an amazing person," George replied, reaching out to take Aaron's hand and kissing the back of it. His mouth lingered for a moment, his nostrils flaring. The details finally clicked together like puzzle pieces. Aaron cursed the spirits. It was just his luck. 

"I would ask how I could be of service, sir," Aaron said sharply as he pulled his hand away, "but I do not wish to become your meal." The blue in George's eyes faded as red took over. Aaron raised his chin to show he wasn't scared. 

"You're a clever one," the man praised, "Very clever. And you smell so good. You must forgive me for wanting a taste." 

"You'll get no taste from me. Step back, or I'll show you what I can do to vampires like you." 

"Now don't be cruel. I only want a small taste. A few drops. I promise not to drain you. After all, a creature as sweet as you should be savored." 

"I will only warn you once, do not come any closer or I'll be forced to put you down," Aaron warned, reaching for the knife on his belt. George moved so quickly that all Aaron saw was a blur before his back hit a tree. A strong hand pinned his at his side, preventing him from getting his knife free. His other hand was forced above his head. One squeeze and his wrist would be broken. 

"Now, now, my sweet treat don't threaten me. I've been nothing but polite. You don't want to push me," George growled. He leaned closer, pressing his nose against Aaron's neck. Aaron shut his eyes, preparing to call his magic. 

"I wouldn't do that if I was you, little sweet. I would hate for something to happen to your friend." 

Aaron's blood went cold. 

"What have you done?" 

"Nothing much. I'm just well aware of how annoying high pitch noises can be for creatures with such powerful hearing. By now your friend must have the worst headache. Push me away all you want, it'll only take me seconds to find him and take a bite out of him instead." 

"Bastard," Aaron snapped, "you've been following me!" He had to have been. There was no other way he knew about Bellamy. 

"I couldn't help myself," George confessed, shrugging his shoulders innocently, "If I went for someone in town then people would notice. But you're all alone and no one will hear you scream. Such an easy target once I got rid of that little creature. Though he is rather cute. Don't worry. You're much cuter." Aaron didn't know how to respond. George didn't seem to care about his silence as he flash his fangs. Aaron tried to think of what to do as George placed his sharp fangs against his skins. A small idea popped into his head. 

"Wait! What if I could make a potion that could cure your hunger?" Aaron quickly offered. George paused, looking at him with wide eyes. The man tried to hide his shock at Aaron's words but Aaron knew enough about vampires to know how much they desired to be free from the painful hunger that forced them to hunt. "You would still need blood to live, but animal blood would be more than enough. You wouldn't feel any pain anymore. You wouldn't have to do this. You could live a normal life, even live among humans." 

"You're lying," George insisted. Aaron shook his head. 

"Listen to my heart. Am I lying?" He waited until George tilted his head to the side. "I can help you. I will help you. I have a spell book back in my cabin. I know that I've read over the potion before but I never had a need to make it. I can try with you. And if...if it doesn't work you can bite me then." 

"You really think you can help?" George asked, his voice quieter as he let go of Aaron's wrists. Aaron stepped away from the tree and watched as his eyes had returned to their blue color. The man suddenly looked so much younger. He stepped back to give Aaron even more space, clearly believing him now. Aaron couldn't say that he understood George's pain, but he still felt sympathy for the man. Vampires, like humans and other creatures, were just trying to survive. Most of them were turned against their will then abandoned to figure out their new lives alone. Nearly half met the pointy end of a stake before they reached fifty years. Aaron wanted to help George, even if he was a little creepy. 

"I help a pair of werewolves every full moon. It took maybe three tries before I was able to perfect the potion, but that was only to clear away any side effects felt the day after. I don't think your potion would come with those. We can head back to my cabin right now and I'll show you." 

"I...why?" 

"What?"

"Why help me? I just tried to bite you." 

"Honestly, this wouldn't the first time someone's tried to bite me. That's how I've met all my new friends," Aaron joked, giving George an easy smile. George stared at him in confusion for a moment before understanding that Aaron was kidding. He grinned. 

"That must be why you smell so sweet," he declared. 

"I'm sorry what?" Aaron wondered. 

"You smell sweet because you're a kind person. It all make sense now." 

"I...I don't think kindness or anything like that can affect how someone smells." 

"Maybe it does." 

Aaron opened his mouth to argue, then closed it as he thought it over. To be honest, he wasn't an expert on scents so maybe George was right. 

"What about Bellamy? Can you stop the pitch?" 

"Oh yes!" George exclaimed, pulling a round box out of his trouser pocket. He threw it to the ground and stepped on it. Aaron suddenly heard a long low pitch before it quickly died away. "I hope your friend isn't too mad about it. I'm honestly a little terrified of cats." 

"He might be a little annoyed, but I'm sure he'll understand," Aaron lied. Bellamy was going to be livid, but Aaron would keep him from attacking George. 

“Thank you, Aaron. I...I really don’t deserve your help,” George told him. Aaron shook his head. 

“You deserve help. You could have ignored me and still tore my throat out, but you didn’t. And that says something. Follow me. We’ll try to catch a squirrel or something on the way back to my cabin so you can have a snack.” 

“That would be nice.” 

“Also, don’t smell me again or I’m spraying you with holy water.” 

“That’s fair.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends! Remember to drop a comment if you're liking this series! Kudos are great too, but comments are my lifeblood.


	5. The Siren

The silence in the cabin weighed heavy on Aaron’s shoulders. He glanced at Bellamy over and over again, but the cat never looked his way. It’d been three days since George King had tried to attack Aaron, and Bellamy still hadn’t moved past it. George apoligzed countless times about using the pitch device against Bellamy, showing true remorse for causing the creature pain. Bellamy hadn’t been moved by the vampire's words and ignored him until he left. Aaron thought everything would be okay after that, but he'd been wrong. Bellamy refused to talk to him, spending most of his time in the window looking outside and only coming away to eat. Aaron tried to start conversations. Bellamy never replied. Sometimes he would look at Aaron with a blank expression, his eyes giving nothing away. Aaron thought about casting a truth spell or something to prompt Bellamy to talk, yet he couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't want to force Bellamy if he wasn't ready. He just wanted to know what was wrong and what he could do to help. 

Aaron sighed and returned to his work. He made a small test potion for George when he was here. The next day George returned and pulled Aaron in for a hug, exclaiming that he didn't feel hungry anymore. Aaron had been worried the potion wasn't strong enough, but George reassured him that it worked perfectly and he wasn't feeling any side effects. Now Aaron was working on a larger batch of potions that would last for weeks if not months. George wanted to travel, wanted to explore the cities he had to avoid before. Aaron wanted to give him that chance, and promised to supply him with enough of the potion to keep his hunger at bay during his trip. He warned George that over time he may need a higher concentration of the potion. They struck a deal that George always had be honest about his hunger. If he lied, and someone ended up hurt, Aaron promised George that he would be the one that stopped him. 

Aaron finished chopping up all the woodworm he needed and moved on to the fraxinella flowers. He added the petals to a pot filled with water, then placed it inside the fireplace to boil. He made a note to get more fraxinella the next time he got the chance. He would need to keep it well stocked if he was going to be making this potion so often. While the water boiled he set up an area for a different potion. He'd been running low on dreamless sleep, and while he knew he shouldn't use it so much, it was sometimes the only thing he could do to get a full night’s rest. A mixture of lavender, cinquefoil, and datura was the base of the potion along with the flame of a black candle and an open window. Aaron walked over to where Bellamy was laying and pushed the window open without a word. The cat didn't move an inch, but he did watch as Aaron moved away. Aaron ground all the ingredients together, added a splash of water, then lifted the mortar into the air as the black candle burned bright. 

"The Moon is my friend, watching over me, bringing beauty into my dreams. The stars are here, forever they will shine, bringing serenity and peace of mind. When I close my eyes tonight, they won't be gone, keeping me safe until the dawn," Aaron chanted. He started to repeat the words again, needing to say it three times for the potion to be at its full strength, but halfway through the window slammed shut. Pausing, Aaron looked over to see Bellamy glaring at him in front of the now closed window. He lowered the mortar and stared back at the cat in confusion. 

"Are you ready to talk to me?" Aaron wondered, ready to be disappointed. Bellamy had already proven that he could go days without speaking. Aaron wanted him to break his silence, but he also didn't want to get his hopes up. A long, tense moment passed. 

"I don't know. Are you ready to fucking listen?" Bellamy finally snipped. Aaron shook his head at the cat's foul mouth, setting the mortar back on the table and checking on the boiling pot to ensure it wasn't bubbling too much. 

"I don't know what you want from me, Bellamy," Aaron confessed under his breath, knowing that the cat would be able to hear him, "I don't know why you're so mad at me. Did I do something?" 

"You're always doing something." 

"What does that mean?" 

"First, you had to help the townspeople," Bellamy explained, each word just as harsh and accusing as the last, "and that I could understand because they're just humans and it'd be easy for you to protect yourself from them. But then you had to help werewolves. Thankfully, you're fucking lucky and Maria and Susan are the kindest werewolves we've ever met, but still. We both know who would come out on top in a fight between a werewolf and a witch. And now you're going to help a vampire. What's next? A wendigo? Will you help the fae? Where will you draw the line?" 

"I don't understand why you're so upset about me helping people." 

"I'm not upset. I'm angry. You lack self-preservation! That vampire could kill you whenever he wants, and instead of protecting yourself from him, you're going to help. You treat every creature as if they’re puppies that can’t do any harm, but that's not how the world works! One day you're going to cross the line and there's no coming back then." 

"I know where to drawn the line." 

"Are you sure about that?" 

"Yes! I just....I want to help people. I want to-" 

"You can't help everyone!" Bellamy cut him off, jumping onto the table to get closer, "You have to realize that you can't always be the hero!" 

"I don't want to be a hero, but I'm not going to stop trying to make the world a little easier. Monty always taught me that I should at least try to make things better." 

"And look where he ended up!" Bellamy hissed, "Six feet under thanks to a stab in the back." Aaron flinched at the words, pain wrapping around his heart. He looked away from Bellamy to hide his expression and shook his head. 

"I'm not going to stop." 

"Then you'll end up just like him." 

"Stop it," Aaron ordered, "Stop talking about him like that." 

"It's the truth. Monty taught you to be kind and helpful, which isn't bad, but you can't help every damn creature on this planet. There are just some people that are beyond help and you should be protecting yourself instead of letting them into your home," Bellamy explained. 

"George said he was sorry." 

"Oh that's great! The vampire said he was sorry so that makes it all okay! Someone could stab you and you would apologize for getting blood on them." 

"That's not true." 

"It is." 

"Bellamy-" 

"You're going to get yourself killed, Aaron and I'm not sure I can sit around and watch that happen." 

Aaron shut his mouth, staring at his friend for a moment before looking towards the fire. He pulled the pot out of the flames and let it rest on the floor. He could feel Bellamy's eyes on him, but he didn't know what to say. Part of him _knew_ Bellamy was right. He was walking a fine line between safety and stupidity, but he couldn't help it. He hated watching other people suffer. He had a gift, one that could make life so much easier for so many different people. It felt like a betrayal to not use his magic to do something good. Monty had always...Goddess, Monty. His teacher had been everything Aaron wanted to be when he grew old. Smart, kind, brave, and funny. Monty taught Aaron everything he now knew. Nearly all his spell books came from the older witch. Monty had taken him in and showed Aaron how to use his magic in a pure, powerful way. Their lessons had been fun and carefree, helping Aaron move passed the pain his Uncle caused. He watched for years as countless people visited Monty seeking help. Creatures from all over knew that Monty had what they needed and he never turned them away. Never. He showed Aaron how magic could make the world a better place. How helping people was the best thing they could do. But Bellamy was right. One day Monty helped the wrong creature and he paid the ultimate price. Aaron wanted to claim he wouldn't end up like that one day, but he couldn't be sure. He was never able to perfect a future seeing spell, and even if he could he wasn't sure he'd want to see what his future held. 

"Aaron," Bellamy softly tried to get his attention. 

"You don't have to stay," Aaron replied, unsure what else to say, "I won't make you stay, but I can't just shut the door and lock the world out. I can't let other people suffer the way I did. I know that you think what I'm doing is dangerous and stupid, but to me it feels right. I know what happened to Monty. I think about it all the time, but you forget that I was the one who begged him to help that woman. I didn't know she was a siren. I didn't know she was dangerous. I'm the one to blame for what happened to him. It was my fault." 

"It wasn't your fault," Bellamy protested. Aaron shook his head. He wanted nothing more then to believe that, but he knew the truth. He brought the woman to Monty's shop. Her tattered clothes and bruised neck had convinced him she needed help. He'd never met a siren before, didn't know how easy it was for them to lie. Monty offered to help. The next morning....well it was as Bellamy said. A stab in the back was all it took. If Aaron had been less trusting, Monty would still be alive today. If he had just walked passed the woman, but that wasn't how Monty and he lived. They helped people no matter the risk. Monty warned him time and time again that a deal could go bad, yet that never stopped him. Aaron didn't want to let it stop him either. 

"It was and we both know it." 

Bellamy looked away, the sadness and anger clear in his eyes. Aaron sat on his bed as he tried to think of what to do. 

"You have a right to be pissed about what I'm doing, Bellamy," he admitted, "You really do, but I'm not going to stop out of fear. If I did that then I'd be giving up on everything Monty taught me and I can't do that. I can't let his memory die because I'm scared of the dark. I'm sorry. I truly am." 

"I just...I can't lose you," Bellamy confessed. He slipped down off the table and slowly made his way over to sit by Aaron's feet. 

"No matter what we do, there's going to be a day where you lose me or I lose you. That day could be tomorrow or five years from now or fifty. We don't know. I would rather live today, then sit back and watch my life go by," Aaron explained, reaching down to pick Bellamy up and place him in his lap. 

"But then it'll be my fault," he whispered. Aaron frowned in confusion. 

"What are you talking about? How will it be your fault?" 

"I'm supposed to protect you. I promised Monty I would keep you safe, but I can't even do that right." 

"You've protected me countless times. You always keep me safe." 

"I didn't with George." 

Something, Bellamy's words and attitude made a lot more sense. 

"Bellamy-" 

"Don't. Don't use that voice. I was pissed about the noise, but I should have told you about it. I should have asked for help, but instead I throw a fit and left you by yourself. I wasn't fair to you and you almost...You almost got killed and that would have been on me." 

"You know I could have stopped George if I wanted to." 

"Could you? Because he said that he threatened me and we both know you put everyone else above your own safety." 

"Bell-" The cat stood up on his back legs and put his paws on Aaron's chest. 

"I can't lose you like that! I'm tired of all these creatures coming to you and getting close when I'm not around!" 

"That was the first time-" 

"I wasn't there for the siren either! It could have been you!" 

"I don't blame you." 

"You should. You really fucking should." 

"Have you really been thinking about this for the passed three days?" 

Bellamy didn't answer, which spoke volumes. Aaron wrapped his arms around the cat and held him close. Bellamy sank into his embrace. 

"I should have protected Monty and you that day and I didn't," Bellamy muttered, his voice cracking on Monty's name this time, "The other night felt like the same thing. I can't sleep. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and find you gone." 

"I wish you'd told me about this," Aaron whispered, "We could have talked about it sooner." 

"I didn't...I was trying to get over it by myself." 

"How's that working?" 

"Not well." 

"Let me finish up George's potion and then we'll do some calming chants okay?" 

"I would like that," Bellamy agreed, "And I'm sorry about what I said about Monty. He was great and it wasn't his fault or yours. The only person to blame is the siren." 

"It's not your fault either." 

"We're quite the pair aren't we?"

"We are," Aaron said, kissing Bellamy's head, "but that's why we work so well together."


	6. The Coven

Aaron placed another small bottle filled with blue liquid in the wooden rack just in time for someone to knock on his door. Bellamy lifted his head at the noise, but he didn’t move from his spot on Aaron’s table. He’d been staying by Aaron’s side ever since their talk. Aaron didn’t mind. He liked having Bellamy so close. He ran his hand over the cat’s fur on his way over to the door, opening it with a smile. 

“Good morning, Mr. Washington,” he greeted the taller man, letting him into the cabin. 

“Good morning, Mr. Burr. I hope I’m not too early,” the other man replied. 

“You’re right on time. I just finished the last one. Are you sure twenty will be enough?” 

“I’m sure that’ll be more than enough. Crime has been down since you started brewing the potion and I doubt we'll go through all of this batch in a year like before,” Mr. Washington insisted. Mr. George Washington was the town's sheriff and two years ago he came to Aaron with a simple request. Was it possible to create a potion that forced a person to tell the truth? It was easy enough for Aaron to figure out and since then he’d been supplying the sheriff with a yearly supply of the potions. Crime had never been a big problem for the town; however, there were times when they had trouble with travelers or with young teens wishing to prove they were adults before they were ready. It was much easier now, according to Mr. Washington, to find out who was truly guilty and who was simply trying to take the blame for their friends. 

"Nevertheless," Aaron told him, "If you run out let me know and I'll get you more." 

"Of course. I do have some news for you. Perhaps I'm overthinking things, but..." the man trailed off, looking conflicted for a moment. Aaron gave him some time to gather his thoughts. 

"Would you like to sit and have some tea?" Aaron suggested. Mr. Washington quickly nodded and Aaron got to work as the older man took a seat. 

"Someone new arrived in town last night," Mr. Washington explained, "A foreign fellow about the same age as you. That alone isn't odd, but then he started asking around if there was anyone who knew magic." 

"Oh?" Aaron softly commented as he heated some water with a flick of his wrist. This wasn’t the the first time a traveler had come to the village in search of a witch to help them, but clearly Mr. Washington felt that this time was different. 

"Something about the way he asked didn't sit right with us, Mayor Schuyler and I, so we decided it was best not to tell him the truth until I talked to you about it." 

"Thank you for your concern," Aaron said as he poured Mr. Washington a cup, "but as I told you time and time again, I can take care of myself. Send the young man my way and I'll see what he wants." 

"He is rather...strange, Aaron," Mr. Washington persistent, his voice taking on a worried tone as he stirred too much sugar into his tea, "I mean we have had foreigners before, but his clothes are something I've never seen before." 

"What do you mean?" Aaron couldn't help but ask as he took a sip of his tea. 

"He wore a fancy jacket with an odd symbol painted in red on the back. I don't know why but as soon as I saw it I got the most uneasy feeling in my stomach. I know I must sound judgemental, but I would rather go with my gut." 

"Do you think you could draw the symbol?" 

"Perhaps? Though I'm not much of an artist." 

"Let's see," Aaron looked around before grabbing a random piece of scrap parchment and handing it over along with a quill. Mr. Washington stared at the parchment for a moment before scratching a a crude image. He passed it back to Aaron, who had trouble keeping his face blank when he saw what he'd drawn. It wasn't the best, but Aaron could still make out of the twin wooden stakes forming a cross. That was all he needed to know who was in town. A member of the Coven was here. Aaron shouldn't be so surprised. He hadn't bothered to hide his magic, more than happy to show how it could be helpful and pure. It was only a matter of time before the Coven showed up to check on him. He could only hope that this member followed the code. 

"Have you seen it before?" Mr. Washington asked, staring pointedly at Aaron the whole time. 

"I'm trying to remember if I've seen it in a book or not," Aaron lied. He didn't want Mr. Washington to worry. It wasn't the town's business what happened between the Coven and him. It was best to keep such information to himself just in case. 

"I honestly can't tell you why, but the image just seems so violent to me. Maybe it's the color. It was dark red," Mr. Washington admitted, "Should I still let him know where to find you?" 

"I think I'll heed your advice and meet him in town. Do you know where he's staying?" 

"Hercules' inn in the center of town." 

"I'll send word to Hercules then about setting up a meeting with him. Thank you for warning me and being honest. Your gut has never been wrong before." 

"Honestly, sometimes I wish it was," Mr. Washington muttered. 

"I don't. You've protected this town from so many bad people," Aaron pointed out. Just last year, a group of traveling pickpockets had come to town and robbed people blind for two days before Washington caught wind of it. By the next afternoon he had the three caught and they confessed to their wrongdoings. All the money and possession they'd stolen were returned and they were sent out of town. Around the harvest, a teenager set part of the forest on fire as a prank, leading to terror and concern of neighboring attacks. Mr. Washington had an idea that whoever had committed the deed was too scared to come forward and confess, so he announced to the town that if the guilty party owned up to their actions he wouldn't punish them. 

True to his word, Washington only lecture the young boy who admitted to setting the fire. When Washington followed his gut, good things happen; however, Aaron could understand why he wished it would be wrong sometimes. The towns people all knew one another, and crime wasn't that common on a day to day basis. It was normally when travelers and foreigners came to town that trouble started. Then Washington's gut started to alert him that something was wrong. Mr. Washington, who tried so hard to be fair and just, always tried to give new people a chance, but he couldn't stop his instincts from telling him that something was wrong. It didn't help that everyone in town knew that Washington would never judge a person by where they came from. He still feared that people would assume he was judgemental of foreigners just because they were foreign and not because they were up to something. 

"You've also helped protect the town," Mr. Washington said, "And I'm forever grateful." 

"I'm happy to help, really I am." 

Bellamy meowed loudly, giving Aaron a pointed look when he looked over. 

"But I should warn you that I plan to take a trip in a week or so. I need to travel to the capital for some supplies and I'll be gone for about a week. I'm going to make sure everyone has what they need before I l, but can you please remind everyone to tell me sooner rather than later?" 

"Of course. I'll have Schuyler make an announcement and I'm sure Benjamin won't mind printing a reminder in the paper." 

"Thank you." 

"Where will you go this time?" 

'I'm not sure yet. New York City sounds like a fun trip, but there's also Richmond and Annapolis."

"All good places to visit. We’ll miss you while you’re gone, but you could really use a vacation.”

“I couldn’t agree with that more,” Aaron said, ignoring the way Bellamy rolled his eyes. It had been his idea for them to take a break. They would be getting supplies, but they would also be relaxing for a few days. It was their compromise. If Aaron wanted to keep helping people, he had to learn to set boundaries for himself. Six months of helping, of potion making and advice, then two weeks vacation. That was their deal. Aaron had even gone so far as to make a blood oath to satisfy his friend. That was how serious he was about making sure Bellamy felt comfortable. If taking a vacation eased his friend's concern then he’ll take one. 

“I should be off,” Mr. Washington told him, standing up from his chair and gathering the rack of potions, “It was nice to sit and talk.” 

“It was. You should stop by more often.” 

“I should.” 

They both knew he wouldn’t. Mr. Washington was too dedicated to his work to take a break. Something they had in common. Aaron walked the taller man to the door where they said their goodbyes and watched as he headed back towards town. Aaron always watched people leave until he couldn’t see them anymore. At least then he knew they were safely on their way. Bellamy jumped off the table to join him in the doorway. 

“Remember when he used to not like you?” Bellamy asked, looking up at him with a smirk in his eyes.

“Yes,” Aaron admitted. It was hard to forget the way Mr. Washington, and others, had treated him when he first arrived in town and offered his services. 

“What did he call you?” Bellamy wondered. Aarons shook his head. He didn’t need a reminder of such an annoying past. 

“I don’t think we need t-” 

“Satan’s husband? Or was it Satan’s bastard?” the cat tried to guess. It had been both. He knew it was both. 

“Bellamy,” Aaron warned. He was no in the mood for this conversation. Mr. Washington had been cautious, and he had every right to be. Aaron held no ill will towards him for his words or acts. 

“What? He did say something like that.” 

“It was three years ago. We’ve moved passed it. And besides, I don’t think I’d have trusted a witch either if I was him.” 

“I’m about to make a point, so settle down, your highness.” 

“Bel-” 

“I was going to say that you’ve done good things for this town. Changed it in ways that no one else could, and that’s great.” 

“But?” 

“No but.” 

“Really? No buts?” 

“Really,” Bellamy assured him, jumping up onto his shoulder and licking his head. Aaron allowed it this time. 

“I’m glad we ended up in this town,” Aaron said as he walked back over to the table and started working on a series of potions. 

“Do you ever think about moving to a new one?” Bellamy wondered. There it was. Bellamy’s true intention. 

“No.” 

“But-” 

“Bells, I like it here. I don’t think I need to move on.” 

“You could help more people if you moved on.” 

“I know that’s not what you really care about,” Aaron pointed out, grabbing him and placing him on the table, “What’s going on in that head of yours?” He poked the cat for emphasis. 

“Just...the Coven. If we moved, we might be able to buy ourselves some time,” Bellamy explained. 

“First, we don’t know if this Coven person follows the code or not. Second, even if we left, the Coven could follow us to the new town. Third, you know I can’t just run away,” Aaron listed out his reasoning in a calm, level voice, “Fourth, I know you’re worried, which is why I’m going to meet this man in public and keep tabs on him until I’m decide if he’s safe or not.” 

“Really?” 

“Really. I’m not going to let him walk around town without taking some sort of precaution. I’ll protect this town, and myself. And you.” 

“Ha! Like I need your protection.” 

“Of course not. You’re such a mighty warrior. The dried leaves tremble when you come by.” 

“That was one time and I was recovering from being sick!” 

“You still do it!” 

“I do not!” 

“You do too! I have a pile of leaves!” 

“Those aren’t from me!”


	7. The Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new person approaches....

Aaron nodded to Hercules, who was standing behind the wooden bar, as he made his way through the maze of tables. The bartender slash innkeeper had been more than happy to help Aaron set up a meeting with the foreigner. Aaron choose a table in the corner farthest away from the bar where his conversation with the visitor would be kept private. As much as he enjoyed the townspeople’s company, this was a matter that only he could handle. The last thing he wanted was to drag them into it. Hercules came over a moment later and set a glass of wine in front of Aaron with a knowing look. 

“He should be down at any moment,” he explained. 

Aaron nodded. “Thank you.” 

“Anytime, just give me a sign if you need any help.” 

“I will,” he assured Hercules, hoping his voice didn’t give away the lie. Hercules was a kind, sweet gentleman skilled at tailoring. In Aaron’s opinion, Hercules could be making a name for himself in one of the bigger cities, but instead he stayed in his small hometown to run his family’s inn. He still tailored on the side, and each of his creations were masterpieces with beautiful stitching and amazing colors. Aaron had purchased a traveling cloak and it was one of his prized possession. Hercules returned to the bar as a few other customers came in. 

Aaron didn’t have to wait long before a new face descended the stairs leading up to the bedrooms. The man was taller, probably around Mr. Washington’s height, with long, curly hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. He was wearing a red shirt with the top three buttons undone to show off his dark chest along with tight black trousers. His boots where shiny and he had a gun strapped to his hip. Aaron waved the man over, raising an eyebrow at the large, toothy smile that appeared on his face. 

“Someone thinks highly of himself,” Bellamy whispered in Aaron’s ear. He had to fight back at smile at the comment. Bellamy refused to allow Aaron to come alone to the meeting; however, Aaron had been worried about his safety. Thankfully, a simple spell turned Bellamy invisible, allowing him to rest on Aaron’s shoulders yet remain hidden from anyone’s view. Though Aaron could still hear and feel him. 

“Keep quiet,” Aaron muttered to his friend, watching the man approach them. Bellamy pressed his cheek against Aaron’s in reply as their guest pulled out a chair and took a seat. 

“You’re Aaron?” the man wondered, his thick accent coming through. Aaron wondered where he was from. 

“I am. Forgive me, but I don’t think anyone has told me your name.” 

“No need to beg for forgiveness,” the man replied, his lips turning up in a smirk. Aaron tried not to scowl, “My name is Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette.” Aaron felt his eyes widen against his will at the long name. “I know, I know, it is a mouthful. That is why I have everyone call me Lafayette. Or Laf if you are so inclined.” 

“Lafayette,” Aaron decided, “I was told by Mr. Washington you’re looking for a witch. How may I be of assistance?” 

“You’re younger than I expected,” Lafayette commented, leaning back in his chair and kicking up his feet onto the table. Aaron tried not to make a face at the man’s crude actions. “I was expecting someone much older. Someone without a....baby face.” He waved his hand towards Aaron to emphasize his point. 

“How young do you think I am?” Aaron wondered. This wasn’t the first time someone questioned his age. Mr. Washington hadn’t believed him when he said he was 27 and even Angelica Schuyler, who was the same age, doubted him. Apparently, to everyone but him, he looked much younger than he truly was. He hated the term babyface, but he’d heard it used many times before. 

“Too young to be dealing with magic.”

“I assure you I am very cap- I do not think age is a factor when it comes to such skills,” Aaron quickly corrected himself. The last thing he wanted was to come off as too aggressive. That would only lead to him looking like a threat. He wasn’t dealing with a normal visitor. This was a member of the Coven and right now Aaron could only take Lafayette at his word until he figured out the man’s true goals. Lafayette stared at him for a long moment, the smirk never leaving his face. 

“You know who I am.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of fact. 

“I know what you are,” Aaron corrected him.

“Yet you came to meet me willingly.” The man tilted his head as if the information amused him. Bellamy’s claws started to dig into Aaron’s shoulder, but he kept his composure. He wouldn’t be intimated. 

“I have nothing to hide,” he assured the man, “I simply hope you follow the code.” 

“I do. I live by the code.” 

“Then you’re visit here will be short. My only goal with my magic is to help people, never to cause any harm or chaos.” 

“I find that hard to believe,” Lafayette stated, the smirk finally vanishing from his face.

“Why do you say that?,” Aaron asked. He reached out for his wine, but Lafayette was quicker. He removed his feet from the table, letting his chair slam back to the ground as he reached forward to pin Aaron’s hand down onto the table. Hercules looked over at them with wide eyes, but Aaron shook his head. He could handle this. He didn’t need any help. 

“You were a student of Richard Montgomery, correct?” the man accused, his voice barely about a whisper. 

“I was.” 

“Then that is reason enough for me to be suspicious of your intentions,” Lafayette declared. Aaron pulled his hand out from underneath his and gave the man a flat, bored look. He bit back the words he wanted to say, forcing himself to keep a level head. 

“I don’t know what you mean. Monty was an amazing witch.” 

“He was powerful, that’s for sure, but he walked a dark path.” 

“He did _not_ ,” Aaron snapped, unable to help himself from defending his teacher, “Monty was a good person who helped people and taught me how to help them too. He would never deal in dark magic.” 

“Are those the lies he feed you?” 

“He did not lie.” Bellamy pressed his cold nose against Aaron’s cheek to calm him. Aaron shut his eyes for a moment and forced himself to take several deep breaths. Lafayette was just trying to get under his skin. That’s what the Coven did. They spun lies and used misdirection to get witches to make mistakes. Then they had all the proof they needed to attack the witch. Aaron would not end up like that. 

“Richard Montgomery was on the Coven’s list for years for his use of dark magic,” Lafayette replied, shaking his head and sitting back in his seat, “We tried to find him, but he always avoided us. Now, we have reason to believe that he taught you the same spells, hence why I’m here now.” 

“You’re wrong. Monty would never do anything to harm anyone. He wasn't like that,” Aaron argued. 

“You can believe whatever you want, but you can’t change the facts.” 

“What about the Coven members who violate the code? The ones who hunt and kill innocent people? Do you believe in those facts?” 

“I do. While it pains me, I would rather face the truth than hide in the lies.” 

“He didn’t lie,” Aaron insisted. 

“You were young and naive. You would have believed anything he t-” 

“You didn’t know him!” he hissed, “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” A heavy silence fell between them. They stared each other down, neither wanting to make their next move until they had figured out what the other man had up their sleeve. It was a dangerous game, but one Aaron was going to win. 

“Maybe not, but I have enough evidence to question what his true goals were,” Lafayette finally replied. 

Aaron stayed quiet, staring at the man as he tried to calm his confused mind. It had to be a trick. Monty had swore that he never harmed anyone. He never let Aaron read any dark books. He only taught Aaron enough to protect himself from such magic, never to use it for his own gains. He didn’t trust the Coven. They could easily be trying to turn him against his beloved teacher, but what would be the purpose of that? To get him on their side? Aaron would rather give up his magic than help the Coven. 

“What do you want from me?” he asked Lafayette, fighting back the urge to reach up and pet Bellamy for comfort. 

“I want proof that you’re as good as you claim to be,” Lafayette answered. 

“Ask anyone in town,” Aaron suggested, “They’ll tell you how I’ve helped them.” 

Lafayette shook his head. “I can’t trust their words. I don’t know if you put a spell on them or not. My plan is to observe you for two weeks. After that, I’ll write a report and inform the Coven of what my professional opinion is.” 

“That’s a shame. I’m going out of town in a few days so you won’t get a chance to observe me,” Aaron informed him, finally grabbing his wine glass and taking a sip. 

“I’ll travel with you,” Lafayette assured him. Aaron froze, his eyes widening at the words. He had to have misheard the man. There was no way that he truly planned on traveling with Aaron. That would never work. 

“You can’t be serious.” 

“Oh, but I am. If the Coven doesn’t receive my report in two weeks then they’ll assume you killed me. If you don’t let me observe you, I’ll have no choice but to return to the Coven and tell them that you’re a hostile witch. I’m sure you know what happens to hostile witches,” Lafayette explained, though Aaron could hear the underline threat in his words.

“Bullshit!” Bellamy exclaimed, jumping off Aaron’s shoulders. Lafayette jumped back in his seat, a look of shock appearing on his face as Aaron removed the invisibility spell hiding the cat. 

“Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, meet my familiar and friend, Jonathan Bellamy,” Aaron formally introduced the two, using Lafayette’s full name with the correct punctuation to make his point clear that he saw Bellamy as an important person and not a common animal. 

“A familiar? How unusual,” Lafayette commented. Bellamy hissed as he reached out his hand. 

“Don’t touch me, hunter. I’ll tear you apart.” 

“Well aren’t you grumpy.” 

“You’re not coming with us!” Bellamy snapped. 

“Bellamy-” 

“He’s not!” he cut Aaron off and gave him a harsh glare. Aaron sighed, this was honestly not how he expected this meeting to go. 

“If I don’t go with you than I’ll have no choice but to tell the Council of the Coven that Aaron Burr is a hostile witch. Then I’ll be forced to return with others to take care of him,” Lafayette pointed out. 

“Can’t we reschedule?” Aaron suggested. Lafayette shook his head. 

“That would only give you time to hide any dark activities.” 

“I’m not doing anything dark.” 

“I need you to prove it.” 

“Would a truth potion work?” 

“No,” Lafayette answered, “Some witches have proven that they can train themselves to lie even under the effects of that potion.” 

“So we don’t have a choice in this?” Bellamy grumbled. 

“Of course you have a choice.” 

“Either let you stalk us for two weeks or face the stake. What a choice that is.” 

“Bellamy,” Aaron said the cat’s name like a plea and he thankfully went silent, “Mr. Lafayette-” 

“Just Lafayette.” 

“-I will allow you to travel with us, but I want to make it very clear that I do not agree with this tactic of yours. Your group, the Coven, has overstepped its purpose again and again, and from what I’m seeing, you have grown too powerful to even notice how horrible you’ve become.” 

“I’ll make note of that,” Lafayette told him, though Aaron had a good feeling his opinion would be missing from Lafayette’s report, “When are you leaving?” 

“In three days.” 

“Perfect. I’ll meet you at your cabin in three days then and we’ll be on our way.” 

Before Aaron could say another word or even open his mouth, the man was up out of his seat and climbing the stairs towards his bedroom. Aaron watched him disappear than turned to Bellamy with a hopeless look on his face. What were they going to do? 

“What a dick,” Bellamy declared. Aaron couldn’t agree more. He buried his head in his hands and let out a loud sigh.


	8. The Journey

“We still have time to kill him,” Bellamy offered for the fifth time as Aaron set his bag against the outside wall of his cabin and waved his hand over the door to seal it shut. Yesterday, he finished delivering the supplies that the town would need while he was gone while Lafayette trailed behind him. The man had flirted with everyone they met from Mr. Washington to Mrs. Eliza, the wife of Alexander Hamilton. They all fell for his charm, and Aaron didn’t blame them. Lafayette clearly knew how to turn people in his favor with his sly smirk and fluttering eyelashes. It only made Aaron hate him more. His vacation was ruined, but at least they would be able to get supplies and maybe visit the hot springs if they were lucky. 

“We can’t kill him,” Aaron told his friend once again, though he wished they could. It would save them the trouble of having to deal with the witch hunter one on one. That’s when Lafayette's charm faded and he became cold and clinical. He barraged Aaron with countless questions, poking around at his books, ingredients, and potions. Aaron kept himself guarded the whole time, only answering what he was asked and keeping a close eye on Lafayette in case he tried to plant something in Aaron’s home. He had no idea how he was going to last another week or so with the hunter. He already felt like he was at his wits end. 

"Good morning, Aaron!" Lafayette called as he came down the path towards them. Bellamy hissed and jumped up on Aaron's shoulders protectively as the man got closer. 

"Good morning, Lafayette. Are you ready to go?" 

"I am," the man answered, turning to show Aaron the small pack he was wearing on his back. As always, his gun was strapped to his chest, but this time he'd added a stake on his other thigh. Aaron hated how he displayed his weapons so openly. It felt like an unspoken threat. He didn't say anything about it, sure that Lafayette wouldn't care even if he did bring it up. Instead, he kept his opinions to himself and cast a small spell. A line of grass in front of his feet light up, guiding him towards his destination. It was an easy spell that helped Aaron from getting lost on his journeys. He could read the stars if he really needed to, but this was easier as it allowed Bellamy and Lafayette to see where they were going too. 

"Follow me," Aaron said, heading North. Lafayette quickly fell in step next to him. He always walked slightly too close to the point that their arms brushed against one another on occasion. Aaron tried to put some space between them, but Lafayette never seemed to notice how he drifted closer and closer. 

"You're walking?" Lafayette wondered after a brief moment, glancing around as if he expected horses or donkeys to appear out of thin air. 

"Yes." 

"Why not take a horse? You'll get to the city much faster." 

"I enjoy walking, and horses don't usually react well to magic. I don't want to frighten the poor animals," he explained. He'd learned the hard way that some animals didn't handle magic well, and he hated the idea of putting an innocent creature through that type of stress. It was easier to walk, and he enjoyed being about to travel at his own pace. He wanted to get to the city, but he wasn't in a rush. 

"You're really going to walk all the way there? No wagon? Nothing?" 

"Yes. Is that a problem?" he asked, turning to give Lafayette a challenging look. The hunter stared at him before a deep set scowl appeared on his face. 

"No. Not a problem at all," Lafayette grumbled. Bellamy huffed, clearly wanting to call him out on his lie but refusing to say a word if it meant talking directly to the hunter. 

"Don't worry. We'll take breaks if you need them," Aaron assured him with a patronizing tone. Lafayette glared at him, but didn't reply. They walked in silence for a while. Just as Aaron was started to believe that maybe this trip wouldn't be that bad Lafayette had to open his mouth. 

"I guess I can ask you more questions while we walk." 

"Oh joy," Aaron muttered under his breath. 

"What's your favorite season?" Lafayette asked. 

"What?" 

"What's your-" 

"What kind of questions is that?" Aaron cut him off. What did that have to do with his magic or the type of witch he was? 

"Why so defensive about such an innocent question?" Lafayette countered. Bellamy rubbed his cheek against Aaron’s and gave him a knowing look. Aaron shook his head. They still couldn’t kill him. 

"I'm not defensive," he grumbled. "My favorite season is fall." 

"Why?" 

"Because....because I like how the trees change colors. How the air smells different than it does in the summer or winter. How the weather becomes cool, yet not icy cold. There’s a lot of things to like about it." 

"That makes sense,” Lafayette nodded. Aaron wouldn’t be surprised if the man was taking mental notes to add to his report later. 

"Are you going to ask me what my favorite color is next?" he joked. 

"Sure! What is it?" 

"Are you serious?" 

"I am.” 

"It’s purple." 

"That's a good choice," he agreed. Aaron rolled his eyes as they kept walking. It hadn’t even been that long yet and he was already annoyed by the man’s presence.

“Maybe we could stop the questions for now,” he suggested. Lafayette shook his head. 

“Not yet. Just one more.” 

Aaron sighed, pulling his cloak firmly around his shoulders. This couldn’t get any worse. 

"How did you end up with Monty?" Lafayette asked. 

Aaron tensed at the question. The hunter had asked it before during his first round of questions, but Aaron refused to answer. It didn’t matter that it’d been three days, Aaron still didn’t feel any better about such a question. It meant talking too much about his own past, about the events that lead him to Monty’s door. It wasn’t something he wanted to talk about with a hunter, or anyone really. 

"Like I told you before,” Aaro snapped, “I won't answer that question. It has nothing to do with whether or not I'm a good witch." 

"Why don't you want to talk about your former teacher? You were so quick to defend him before." 

“I needed help and Monty offered it. That’s all you need to know.” 

“I have trouble believing that Monty offered to teach you without asking for something in return.” 

“Than you didn’t know him very well.” 

“I’m not going to be able to write my report if you don’t answer my questions,” Lafayette pointed out. 

“I don’t see why your questions are so important when I haven’t used any dark magic or hurt anyone using magic. Isn’t that more than enough? 

“No.” 

“I don’t like you. Put that in your report,” Aaron growled. Bellamy jumped up and started to sniff the air, prompting Aaron to stop for a moment. 

“There’s someone up ahead,” Bellamy told him softly, “They’re in distress.” 

“Stay close,” Aaron warned Lafayette as he continued on the path. 

“I can handle myself,” Lafayette assured him, speeding up to cut in front of Aaron. He rolled his eyes as the path connected to a worn dirt road. Aaron kept to the side of the road in case any wagons came by while Lafayette stayed in the center where there was still some grass left. 

“We’re getting closer,” Bellamy warned. Aaron cast a weak protection spell around them, including Lafayette inside it on principle. The hunter may think he can handle himself, but Aaron knew that one could never be too careful when traveling on the roads. Soon enough, they came upon an older gentleman and a wagon. The wagon was full of crates and bags; however, the back left wheel of the wagon was broken into pieces, causing the whole thing to tilt. The man had his head in his hands as he sat in front of the broken wheel. A horse was hooked up to the front of the wagon, though it was busy eating some grass and appeared to be calm. 

“Excuse me,” Aaron called out. The man looked up at them in surprise. “Are you alright?” 

“Oh, yes! I just...I’m fine,” the man replied, glancing at the wagon with a heartbroken look, “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare wagon wheel?” He laughed weakly and shook his head. 

“We don’t,” Aaron confessed, “But I still might be able to help if you’ll allow me to.” 

“You can?” 

“Aaron,” Lafayette cut in, “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Aaron ignored him and walked towards the man to get a closer look at the wheel. It didn’t take him long to see the problem. The wagon had hit a large rock, which shattered the left wheel. There were too many small pieces for the man to fix it, but Aaron knew just the spell that could remedy such a problem.

“You may want to stand back, sir,” Aaron suggested. The man obeyed, getting up and taking a few steps back. “Bellamy, the horse.” The cat jumped off his shoulders and walked over to the animal, batting at it until he got its attention. The horse made a small noise before getting lost in Bellamy’s eyes. It was a small power Aaron had given the cat for situations like this. When Bellamy meowed that the horse was fully under the calming spell, Aaron waved his hand at the wheel. 

“With my bag of tricks, let this object be fixed. Repair the damage done, and let this wheel always be a fast one. And as I will it, so shall it be for the power of the Goddess lies in me,” he chanted, watching with pride as the pieces of the wheel formed back together until the wheel was as good as new. With a few more tricks he was able to replace the wheel on the wagon and it was as good as new. 

“Amazing!” the man exclaimed, running forward for a closer look. He turned and grabbed Aaron’s hands, holding them tightly as he nearly started jumping up and down, “Truly amazing! Thank you! A thousand times, thank you!” 

“You’re welcome,” Aaron replied. The man’s smile was so bright and happy that it warmed Aaron’s heart. 

“Please, let me pay you for your trouble.” 

“There’s no need for that,” Aaron protested, “I really don’t need it.” He’d barely done anything, and he hated taking money from people who were down on their luck. It made him feel as if he was taking advantage of them. The man simply needed help and Aaron was happy to be of service. He didn’t do it for monetary gain. 

“I insist.” 

“And I insist you not. Instead, would you be so kind as to give my....companion and I a ride in your wagon until the road splits?” 

“Of course! Let me made some room,” the man agreed, climbing up into the wagon and rearranging some of the bags to make space for Lafayette and Aaron. Lafayette walked over to stand by Aaron and gave him a blank look. 

“Did you set this up to make yourself look good?” he wondered. Aaron sighed. 

“No. I did not set this up. Stuff like this happens all the time. This road is full of rocks and boulders that can ruin wagons if the driver hits them just right.” 

“Then why didn’t you take any money?” 

“Why would I?” Aaron asked. 

“Alright!” the man called, “That should be enough room for the two of you.” Aaron made his way over and climbed up into the wagon, finding a seat on one of the bags. Bellamy hopped up, laying down on the crate next to Aaron and shutting his eyes. Aaron scratched behind his ears as Lafayette joined them. 

“Is the horse okay?” 

“Should be,” Bellamy answered, “Wasn’t that hard this time.” 

“You’re getting better at it.” 

“All that practice with the squirrels paid off.” 

“Hold on to something,” the man warned them before snapping the reins. The wagon lunged forward and they were off again. 

“Why wouldn’t you take money?” Lafayette asked, returning to his question, “You did him a service.” 

“I did him a favor and he’s repaying me right now by giving us a ride.” 

“But money would’ve been more valuable.’ 

“I don’t believe that,” Aaron argued, ”Money can be just as useless as any other object. My uncle-” He paused, looking at Lafayette for a moment before deciding he might as well tell the hunter. Maybe it will keep him from asking anymore questions about Aaron’s past. “My uncle had money and it didn’t make things any better. If anything, it only made our lives much worse. All he cared about was money. Keeping what he had and getting more. He didn’t care who he hurt in the process. Of course I need money for some things, but I tried to trade as much as possible.” 

“That’s a unique point of view,” Lafayette observed. 

“I guess. What about you?” 

“What?” 

“Did you come from a family of wealth?” 

“Yes.” 

“And you still care so much about money?” Aaron wondered, unable to help himself from being curious. 

“I’m a hunter, aren’t I?” 

“And that pays well?” He honestly wouldn’t know. He always assumed that the hunters were volunteers or madman who didn’t care about money as long as they got to hunt innocent people and terrorize towns. 

“Very well. People will pay anything to get rid of the monsters they fear.” 

Aaron made a face at his answer. Was this really just about the money to him? That didn’t seem like a very nobel thing. The Coven acted as if they were above it all, but maybe they were just money hungry. 

“Monsters like me?” he whispered. 

“That has yet to be decided,” Lafayette stated, looking away. 

A heavy silence fell over them. Aaron watched the fields pass by and wondered how someone like Lafayette, who was handsome and charming from a rich family ended up as a hunter. Perhaps it was time for Aaron to do his own investigation to see just why this man had come.


	9. An Enemy in the Woods

They'd been extremely fortunate that the man with the wagon, Israel Putnam, had been heading the same way as them. They stayed with him for two nights and half a day, parting from the kind man when they arrived in the third village. Aaron denied Putnam's offer to borrow his horse, not wanting to take advantage of the man's kindness after he'd already given them so much help. They could do the rest on foot since the wagon put them two days ahead of the loose schedule Aaron made in his head. It was hard to leave Putnam behind. He was full of fun stories and a great talker. Aaron did accept some extra food from him, but only in exchange for a healing potion to help with the ache in Putnam's knees. They left the third village at noon, still heading North towards New York City. 

Now that Aaron was alone with Lafayette again he'd expected the hunter to return to his questioning, but instead Lafayette was quiet as they walked through the dense forest. Aaron wasn't sure what to think of the man's silence. Every since he turned the tables and asked Lafayette about his own past he'd been quieter. The only time he'd seemed like himself was when they were getting dinner the first night. Lafayette flirted endlessly with the bartenders and barmaids, leaving every person he met with a flushed expression from his surly attention. Aaron had rolled his eyes at the man's antics, but didn't protest when he disappeared for an hour or so. Putnam had been worried, asking Aaron if he knew his partner was going off with other people. Aaron had to assure the man over and over again that Lafayette and he were not partners in that way. They were just traveling together. They weren't romantic together. Though Aaron couldn't deny that Lafayette was an attractive man, all he had to do was remind himself that he was a hunter and his tender thoughts of Lafayette vanished. 

"So Lafayette," Bellamy broke the silence, "You're not from around here, are you?" 

"I am not," Lafayette replied. 

"Where are you from?" 

"France." 

"France?" Aaron couldn't help but echo.

"Yes. Have you been?" 

"I have not. But I've learned about it." 

"What have you learned?" 

"I..." Aaron trailed off, unsure if he should answer or not. Bellamy nudged his cheek and gave him a look. It took Aaron a moment to understand what his friend wanted, but finally the idea clicked in his mind. "I've been told that it's a beautiful country with amazing food and breathtaking buildings. I learned some French when I was younger, but never enough to use it." 

"France is...France is unlike anything else in the world," Lafayette agreed, "There is beauty in everything. No matter where you look you see the spirit of France calling out to you. Also the food. The food sings to you. Every bite enlightens your taste buds."

"What's your favorite dish?" 

"That is a very hard question. I love many things, but perhaps my favorite is soupe à l'oignon." 

"Onions?" 

"I know, I know, it may sound like a rather intense dish, but the onions are caramelized to perfection mixed with brandy. It warms you from the inside and is the best on a gold day," Lafayette explained, a far off look on his face as he spoke about the dish. 

"It all sounds so magical," Aaron joked. 

"In some ways it is. I miss it," he replied, his voice getting quieter. 

"Why did you come to America?" 

"For adventure, and to get away." 

"Get away from what?" Aaron softly wondered, waiting to see if Bellamy's idea worked. It was easy to see that Lafayette loved his country, and talking about such a topic could give him a false sense of security, leading to him spilling information. 

"Do not think you are so smart," Lafayette warned, "I know what you are doing and it will not work. If you do not wish to speak about your past, then we will not speak of mine." 

"I'm just trying to understand how someone like you becomes a hunter," he confessed. 

"All while I'm trying to understand how someone like you becomes a witch," the hunter twisted his words back at him. 

"Perhaps neither of us will find any answers." 

"Perhaps not." 

"God you're annoying," Bellamy exclaimed. Lafayette glared at the creature. "Mr. High and Mighty. All you hunters make me sick." 

"I'm curious about you as well, little kitten. Are you a cursed human? What did you do to deserve such a form?" 

"Leave him alone," Aaron ordered. 

"Come closer and you'll find out what this form can do!" Bellamy challenged. 

Lafayette scoffed at the threat, turning up his nose and speeding up to get away from them. The silence returned, weighting on Aaron's shoulders. This trip was supposed to help him relax, but he was more tense that he'd been in months. He knew it would be easier just to tell Lafayette what he wanted to know, yet he couldn't bring himself to talk about it. It'd been hard enough for him to tell Monty, let alone someone he didn't trust. 

"Fucking prick," Bellamy cursed in his ear as they walked. 

"You need to stop fighting with him," Aaron begged. This wasn't the first time the cat and hunter went toe to toe. Bellamy had taken it upon himself to pee on Lafayette's shoes the first night, which left the man in a foul mood all morning during the wagon ride. Then Lafayette knocked over a mug of water onto Bellamy's head, soaking the cat to the bone. Back and forth they went. No matter how often he told the two to leave each other alone they kept at it. 

"I'll do whatever I want." 

"You're not helping the situation." 

"Well neither is he!" Bellamy snapped. Aaron sighed. It was going to be another long day. Lafayette didn't say a word even after they stopped for the night. Bellamy kept up with negative commentary against the hunter as Aaron set up their tent. 

"I heard that France smells like a bunch of pigs. Must be the be people." 

"I bet you were hatched from an egg." 

"Did your mother have a rat’s nest for hair too?" he taunted. Suddenly, Lafayette snapped. He grabbed the stake from his thigh and threw it at Bellamy. It landed inches away from the cat's body. 

"Hey!" Aaron shouted, rushing over to check on Bellamy as Lafayette stalked away. 

"Next time, I won't miss," he called over his shoulder before disappearing into the trees. 

"Are you okay?" Aaron asked as he looked Bellamy over. 

"I'm fine. He didn't even hit me. Missed by a mile." 

"Bellamy," he sighed, "This has to stop. I know you don't like him. I don't like him either, but you shouldn't have brought up his mother or family. That was too far." 

"He'll be fine." 

"You should apologize." 

"I'm _not_ going to apologize to a hunter!" 

"Bells-" 

"Don't even start! See, this is the problem! You're always too fucking nice to everyone! That dick could stab you and you'd still give him a chance!" 

"That's not true!" 

"It is! You're never gonna see it! You're too blind to the world around you!" Bellamy screamed at him before twisting out of his hands and stomping away. 

"Wait! You'll get lost!" 

"Fuck off! Unlike you I can take care of myself!" 

"But-" Aaron didn't have time to say another word as Bellamy jumped up into the trees and vanished into the leaves. Aaron looked around at the empty campsite, letting out a loud sigh. 

"Great. Just great. What else could go wrong," he muttered, returning to the tent. When that was done, he moved on to making a small fire. He watched the trees for any signs of Lafayette or Bellamy, but neither of them reappeared. Aaron cooked some food in hopes of drawing them out. It didn't work and Aaron was still on his own. He wrapped his cloak tightly around his shoulders, pulling his knees up to his chest as he stared at the fire. Five more minutes then he'll go look for them. 

_Bang!_

Aaron jumped at the sound of gunfire, looking around frantically at the trees in concern. What the hell was that? Was Lafayette hunting? Where was the hunter? And where was Bellamy? They better be okay. Then Aaron could lecture both of them about scaring him. Or at least Bellamy. He shouldn't’ be concerned about Lafayette, but he was. Maybe Bellamy was right. Maybe Aaron really was too nice to everyone. 

_Snap!_

A stick broke a few feet away. Aaron's head turned towards the sound, staring at the bushes and waiting silently. Nothing happened at first, but then the bushes started to rustle. Aaron stood up from the ground and called his magic into his hands as he prepared himself. He raised them up to blast whatever was coming at him when Lafayette and Bellamy burst through the leaves. 

"Oh thank the goddess," Aaron said as relief flooded his chest. Then he saw the blood on Lafayette's shirt. "What happened?!" 

"Bellamy-" Lafayette started to explain, looking down at the cat in his arms. Aaron panicked. 

"Bring him inside!" he yelled at the hunter before running into the tent. On the outside, the tent Aaron brought looked small and shabby, but that was only an illusion. On the inside, the tent was as large as Aaron’s cabin. He modified it to to have two small sleeping areas, one for him and one for Lafayette, along with a sitting area near the opening flat. A small table with two chairs took up that area. Lafayette paused to look around the tent with wide eyes before setting Bellamy on the table as Aaron ran around to get supplies. The tent included a small cauldron for brewing on the go and a small supply of ingredients. 

“What happened?” Aaron demanded as he filled the cauldron with water and set it to be boiling in a minute or two. He grabbed some bandages, a healing wounds potions, and two white candles before returning to the table. He set one candle by Bellamy’s head and the other by his tail. 

“I don’t know,” Lafayette confessed, “I was walking back when I ran into him. At first he was yelling at me and I was yelling back, but then he stopped talking and told me to shut up. I didn’t listen. I kept fucking talking. I swear I only blinked once and he was laying on the ground bleeding. It was so fast. I’ve never seen something that fast. I don’t- I don’t know what it was.” 

“Calm down,” Aaron commanded, seeing the way Lafayette’s hands were shaking, “Take these bandages and go soak them in the cauldron.” Lafayette took them and went about his task without a word. 

“You better fucking live,” Aaron told Bellamy as he forced the cat’s mouth opened and helped the potion into his mouth. He lit the candles, then checked on Lafayette. 

“Good. That’s good,” he praised, taking a few of the soaked bandages from the man. 

“I...I’m sorry,” Lafayette muttered. 

“We have to focus on Bellamy right now. You can have a breakdown later.” Lafayette nodded and carried the rest of the bandages over to the table. Aaron carefully laid each bandage over the wound on Bellamy’s side until it was completely covered. Then he placed his hand on top and shut his eyes. 

“Broken flesh with so much pain, I call upon the Goddess but not for my own gain. Heal this wound and heal it well, so that the pain may no longer dwell. I call upon the Goddess again to help heal my friend. Do not let this be his end. Take from me whatever you need to heal this creature at light speed.” 

The area under Aaron’s hand glowed a faint blue and the bandages slowly started to dry. He repeated the chant again and again until Bellamy finally opened his eyes, looking up at Aaron with a tired expression. 

“Oh thank god,” Lafayette said, kneeling down so his eyes were level with the table, “I’m sorry Bellamy. I’m so sorry.” 

“What are you sorry about? You killed it,” Bellamy croaked, “Got that bitch good.” 

“No talking yet,” Aaron ordered as he moved the candles out of the way to check Bellamy’s eyes. 

“Killed it?” Lafayette asked in confusion. Aaron gave him a look of warning, but it faded quickly when he saw the heartbroken look on the man’s face. 

“You shot it,” Bellamy explained, shutting his eyes and whining as he tried to stretch his back legs. 

“Don’t move.” 

“I didn’t...” Lafayette muttered, shaking his head, “I didn’t shoot it.” 

“Yes, you did.” 

“I didn’t...I don’t remember.” 

“Maybe you panicked and forgot?” Aaron offered, “I heard a gunshot.” 

“You did?”

“I did. I thought maybe you were hunting.” 

“I don’t think I-” 

“Check your gun,” Bellamy suggested. He allowed Aaron to finish looking him over while Lafayette checked the chamber of his gun. 

“I did fire a shot,” the hunter told them, “But I don’t think I hit it.” 

“I’m pretty sure you did,” Bellamy argued. 

“You’re going to sleep outside if you don’t shut up until after I get the bandages off,” Aaron snapped. 

“Sorry, sorry,” he offered, leaving Aaron to his work. Lafayette stayed close and watched, shifting from one foot to the other. 

“There. You should be okay now,” Aaron declared as he removed the last bandage. Bellamy stood up on shaky legs before giving Aaron a nod. 

“I’m all good.” 

“I’m so sorry, Bellamy,” Lafayette said again, “I should have listened to you when you said for me to be quiet. It’s my fault you got hurt.” 

“Oh Goddess, you’re just like Aaron,” Bellamy complained, “Blaming yourself for things that you have no control over. That monster was coming for us either way. Even if you had shut your big mouth it still would have attacked us. At least you put it down while I distracted it with my lovely tasty body.” 

“Bellamy,” Aaron muttered in disgusted. Bellamy chuckled at the look of disgusted he got.

“I shouldn’t have-” 

“Lafayette,” Bellamy cut him off, “Seriously. I don’t blame you. If anything, I should be thanking you. You brought me to Aaron. You could have left me out there.” 

“I would never have done that,” the hunter protested. 

“I know you wouldn’t. But you could have. Especially after what I said,” the cat admitted, “I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t have insulted you or your family.” 

“It’s okay. It’s just...it’s a soft topic for me.” 

“Me too.” 

“Look at you two. Bonding,” Aaron teased as he sat down in one of the chairs. 

“Are you okay?” Lafayette wondered. 

“Oh yeah. I’m fine.” Then he smelled something burning. “Oh fuck! Our dinner!” He ran out of the tent and pulled the food off the fire just in time before it could be completely ruined. He started to remove everything from the roasting sticks when Lafayette came out of the tent. The man didn’t say anything for awhile, simply watching Aaron as he worked. 

“I wasn’t sure what you wanted to eat,” Aaron confessed, “so I made a variety. I hope that’s okay.” 

“It is.” 

“Good. Good.” 

“Aaron,” Lafayette started to speak, then paused. Aaron glanced at him in confusion, giving the man as much time as he needed to get his words together. “I’m sorry.” 

“What?” 

“I’m sorry for how I’ve been going about this. I...I should understand better than anyone why you might not want to talk about your past. I’m sorry for pushing you, for being so aggressive. It wasn’t fair to you and I realize that. I’m sorry it took me so long to get that through my head.” 

“I forgive you,” Aaron said. The shock on Lafayette’s face didn’t surprise him. “I haven’t been as kind to you either. Nor has Bellamy. I just....I don’t really know what to think of you after what you said about Monty. It’s hard for me to understand.” 

“I made a really shitty first impression, didn’t I?” Lafayette wondered. Aaron couldn’t help but nod. “Is it too late to fix that?” 

“I don’t think it’s ever too late to fix things,” Aaron replied honestly. Bellamy would probably kick him for saying that, but it was the truth. Aaron believed in second chances, and clearly Lafayette saw the errors of his ways. Plus the man saved Bellamy’s life by carrying him back. Lafayette's fear for Bellamy had been real and that spoke volumes to Aaron. The hunter may be annoying, but perhaps Aaron misjudged him. “Let’s go inside so we can eat and try this again. I’m sure Bellamy’s starving and I should rest after using so much magic.” Lafayette stepped forward and helped Aaron carry the food inside the tent. A quick water spell put out the fire while countless candles lit up their temporary shelter. Aaron readied himself for a long night of conversation.


	10. The Truth of the Past

“Checkmate,” Aaron announced, moving his chess piece into its winning position. 

“God damn it,” Lafayette exclaimed. Bellamy lifted his head to glance at the board before resting his chin back on his paws and yawning. Aaron reached out to give him a gentle pet as he smirked in triumph at Lafayette. 

“Shouldn’t you watch your language?” Aaron teased as he picked up his glass of wine and took a sip. Lafayette had chosen their inn this time, finding a place that was rather upscale without forcing them to overturn their pockets. The bar beneath their room was filled with people, but it wasn’t as loud as a local tavern would be. The wine and food was good, and it didn’t seem like they would run into any trouble. They arrived in the city at sunset, leaving Aaron no time to shop. That would have to wait until tomorrow morning at dawn. He wanted to get to the shops as earliest as possible to see what he could get before the city woke up and the streets got crowded. 

“I’m a hunter, not a monk,” Lafayette pointed out. 

“There’s a difference?” 

“Ha ha. Very funny.” 

“Can I get your gentleman anything else?” a young barmaid suddenly appeared next to their table. Aaron shook his head. 

“No thank you, miss. I’m all set.” 

“What about you?” She turned her eyes to Lafayette, giving him a brighter smile as she shifted her arms in a way that made her dress pull down to show more of her cleavage. Aaron looked at the chessboard. He might not have a thing for women, but that still didn’t mean he was going to openly stare at one. Bellamy flicked his tail against his wrist but he ignored it. 

“I’m alright for now,” Lafayette assured her. “But I’ll let you know if I need anything.” 

“I’ll be waiting,” the barmaid replied before walking off to another table. 

“If you want...” Aaron tried to offer but the words got caught up in his throat. Lafayette stared at him knowingly and shook his head. 

“Nah. She’s not really my kind of person. Besides, we’re not done with our tournament,” he said, starting to reset the chess pieces for another game. 

“Tournament? You haven’t won a single game yet.” 

“Yet! This will be the one! I can feel it!” 

Aaron shook his head and helped set up the game. He was surprised that Lafayette didn’t take the girl up on her offer. Other people were also looking at the hunter, trying to catch his eye and whispering to their campaigns. Aaron quickly decided that after this game they would be done for the night and he’d leave Lafayette alone to do whatever he wanted to do with whoever he wanted. He let Lafayette go first this time in hopes it would give the man an advantage, but it was easy to see after three moves each that it wouldn’t make a difference. 

“Can I ask you something?” Aaron wondered as he tried to figure out his next move. He scanned the board carefully, thinking about how Lafayette would react if he went on the offense. 

“Of course.” 

“What did Monty do to end up on the Coven’s list?” 

The question had been floating around Aaron’s head for days. At first he’d been completely sure that Lafayette was lying, but after he saved Bellamy something had changed between all of them. Aaron didn’t think Lafayette would lie about something like that, or he would have at least taken it back when he apologized to Aaron, but he hadn’t. He also hadn’t brought up Monty since that night. He’d stopped asking prying questions and instead focused on innocent ones that led to them exchanging stories. At hard as Aaron tried, he couldn’t ignore the question any longer. He needed to know the truth. Needed to know what Lafayette was talking about. He finished moving his chess piece and looked up to meet Lafayette’s conflicted stare. He gave a small nod. This was what he wanted. He had to know. 

“Montgomery had a student before you,” Lafayette explained, his voice barely above a whisper, “Some say it was his son, other believes it was an orphan he raised as his own. Either way, Montgomery taught he boy everything he knew. People said the boy was a very promising witch with a talent for plant based magic, but there’s one thing no witch can stop.” 

“Death.” 

“Exactly. The boy died. According to what the Coven was told by people who lived in the area it was an accident. He was only fourteen years old. Montgomery didn’t take his death very well and he...he...” the hunter shook his head, grabbing his mug of beer and taking a large drink. Aaron waited patiently for him to go on. “He tried to bring him back.” 

The words hit Aaron like an arrow to the heart. Of all known magic in the world, necromancy was the darkest type. Even Aaron knew that. 

“The Coven found out when....when the thing started to terrorize the town. Montgomery had a hard time putting it down himself so the Coven stepped in. When they went to confront Montgomery he ran. They searched for him, but he was good at covering his tracks. He was constantly moving, and we didn’t...we weren’t able to find him until after he’d already died and you had him cremated.” 

“That’s what he wanted,” Aaron muttered, “He told me time and time again that he wanted to be cremated. I didn’t even think anything of it. I should have wondered why-” 

“Aaron-” 

“How did I not know? He mentioned having a student before me, but whenever I asked he wouldn’t talk about it. I should have pushed-” 

“Aaron,” Bellamy spoke up this time, cutting him off and giving him a meaningful look, “Breathe.” 

“How could he not tell me?” 

“I think he was ashamed,” Lafayette said, “He was driven by grief and made a mistake, but then he wanted to make up for it by helping as many people as possible. We had reports of a witch like him doing good, but whenever we got close he moved.” 

“We did move around a lot. He said it was because he needed a new setting,” Aaron muttered, “I just...The Monty I knew would never have used necromancy. Never.” 

“The Monty you knew probably wouldn’t have. The man you knew was not the same man who tried to bring something back to life. People can change.”

“I....” he trailed off, lost for words as he thought over Lafayette’s words. 

“I’m sorry,” Lafayette offered, “I regret the way I brought it up the first time, but I still think you have a right to know the truth.” 

“I’m glad you told me,” Aaron admitted. He was being honest. It was hard for him to face the truth, but he was glad Lafayette told him. It didn’t change how Aaron saw Monty, not completely, but it did open his eyes to the idea that not even his teacher had been perfect. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe he never told me because he was ashamed or because he was trying to protect me from the Coven.” 

“I don’t know if this will make you feel better, but we didn’t know about you or your magic until after Monty died.” 

“Is that important?” 

“It’s unusual. Normally, the Coven knows the moment a new witch starts practicing. Which allows us to track young students from the time they first start, but you didn’t appear on our radar until after. I think Monty put a spell on you to keep us from knowing you even existed. Which is odd,” Lafayette explained. Aaron shook his head. No that made perfect sense to him, and he had a good feeling he knew why Monty would go so far to keep the Coven from finding out about him. 

“He was protecting me from my uncle,” he said. Lafayette gave him a confused look. Bellamy suddenly got up, walked over to Aaron and jumped in his lap. Aaron held the cat close as he took several deep breaths. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” Lafayette quickly told him, “Really. I don’t-” 

“I want to tell you,” Aaron cut him off. “I want to...to tell you about the Monty I knew.” 

“Perhaps we should go up stairs first? Talk privately?” He suggested. 

“That’s a good idea,” Bellamy agreed, jumping up onto the table and giving Aaron a look that left no room for him to argue. Aaron stood up and quickly helped Lafayette pack up their board before following the man upstairs to their rooms. They ended up in Aaron’s, sitting side by side on the bed where Aaron felt the most comfortable. It made everything seem less serious than sitting at the table in the corner. Bellamy stretched out by his feet. 

“My parents died when I was young,” Aaron started his tale, “I don’t remember them that much. My older sister, Sally, used to talk about them when we were young, but that’s all I know about what they were like. We were sent to live with my grandfather, but then he passed so we ended up with our uncle. He wasn’t...He wasn’t that bad at first. Strict and standoffish, but he feed and clothed us. Then....then I started to...things started to happen when I was seven. I don’t know how I did it, or if I even remember correctly, but I think I started using magic on accident. When I was upset, or angry objects would fly off the table and hit the wall. My uncle moved us to a new house after a week of this, telling my sister and I that a demon had gotten into the house, but it kept happening.

“It didn’t take my uncle long to put the pieces together and he didn’t react well. He called me a monster; a demon. All these horrible things. He started to beat me and my sister, told us that was the only way to cure me of the evil and protect my sister from it. Sally pulled away from me to avoid his abuse. She disappeared with our tutor when I was nine. I haven’t seen her since. I myself tried to run away, but my uncle always came for me. He told others that I was an ungrateful, disobedient child and that they shouldn’t believe a word that came out of my mouth. I tried to tell them about the beatings, about the bruises and the pain, but no one listened. To them, my uncle was a good man who took in his sister’s nasty children.

“After I turned twelve I decided I had enough. I ran away to the pier, got on a ship, and didn’t look back. When I arrived in the new city, I had no money and no skills to speak of. I knew that if I went to the authorities they would just send me home and I wasn’t sure if an orphanage would be safe. I wandered the streets for two days until I ran into Monty stepping out of his shop. I asked if he needed any help. Told him I could clean and I would learn to cook in exchange for just a bed to sleep in. Without a word he let me in, gave me some food, and offered me a home. It took me a month to tell him the truth about my past. I warned him that I was a monster, that I was dangerous. He only laughed and said I couldn’t hurt a fly even if I tried.

“He explained what magic was, showed me that he could do it too, and then offered to be my teacher. That was the day of my first lesson. Monty promised that he would never let anyone take me back to my Uncle. It was my choice where I go and what I do. He never pushed me to learn things I wasn’t interested in, nor did he talk down to me when I was struggling to get a spell right. He was always encouraging me, always helping me in the best ways possible. When he died...when he died it was like losing my family all over again. He was all I had until I found the town and settled down,” Aaron trailed off, finished with his tale. He looked over to find Lafayette openly staring at him. 

“You loved him,” the man stated. He reached out and wrapped his arm around Aaron’s shoulders. Usually, Aaron would tense up at such a gesture, but instead he leaned against Lafayette. 

“So much. I still miss him.” 

“I’m sorry about his death. May he meet the Goddess.” 

“Thank you,” Aaron whispered. Very few people knew how important those words were and it’d been a long time since someone had said them in reference to Monty. 

“We should get some sleep,” Lafayette suggested, “then we can be up early and get the supplies you need.” 

“We should,” Aaron agreed, mourning the man’s comforting touch as he pulled away to stand up. “Thank you for telling me the truth.” 

“You’re welcome. Good night, Aaron.” 

“Good night.” 

Aaron watched as the hunter left the room, staring at the closed door for a long time until Bellamy loudly cleared his throat. 

“What?” he asked. 

“Nothing,” Bellamy said, “Just...just guard your heart better, Aaron. Sure he’s nice and all that, but he’s still a member of the Coven. He’s here to observe you, not be your friend or anything more.” 

“I didn’t say I wanted anything more.” 

“Your face gave it all away.” 

“Shut up,” Aaron weakly snapped, sliding under the covers without changing out of his clothes. Bellamy was wrong. He didn’t have feelings for Lafayette. Not like that. Sure, the man was attractive and he’d since proved that he had a kinder heart than Aaron first thought, but Aaron wasn’t a fool. He wasn’t. Lafayette was just...just interesting. That was it. Bellamy jumped up and curled up on Aaron’s chest. His weight helped calm Aaron’s beating heart, allowing him to slowly drift off to sleep. If he dreamed of a man with curly hair, bright eyes, and a dazzling smile that was his own business and his alone.


	11. New York City

“Do you really need so many candles?” Lafayette asked as Aaron placed his seventh candle on the counter. 

“I do,” Aaron replied, “I need at least one of every color, but I ran out of blue ones so I need to make sure I have five new ones.” 

“You saw how many he had at home,” Bellamy commented. “He always has to have that many or he gets antsy about restocking them all.” 

“But why do you need so many?” Lafayette questioned.

“Certain spells call for a specific color, and normally I need at least five or six to complete the spell. The last thing I want is for someone to ask for a potion or a charm, but be unable to perform the spell because I don’t have enough candles.” 

“Huh,” Lafayette muttered, picking up one of the candles and looking it over. “Are all these candles special?” 

Aaron couldn’t help but smile at the man’s innocent questions. “No. They’re just normal candles.” 

“Are they special,” Bellamy giggled to himself. Lafayette gave him a look, to which Bellamy only turned up his nose. Aaron checked his list again before passing a few coins to the shopkeeper, an elderly man who was staring at Lafayette in hopes he would burst into flames. Aaron stepped in front of the hunter as he shrank his candles down to traveling size and placed them all in his bag. 

“We’re done here,” Aaron declared, grabbing Lafayette’s hand and dragging him out of the shop. Bellamy jumped to catch up with them, finding his place on Lafayette’s shoulder instead. Lafayette was taller, and Bellamy liked being able to see above the crowd. 

“You wanted to get out of there fast,” Lafayette said. 

“That man wasn’t any better than the last shop owner,” Aaron confessed. They didn't have any trouble in the first store where Aaron picked up a variety of crushed flowers and other plants. The owner was a young couple who owned a large garden North of the city. They gave Aaron a good deal for buying in bulk and promised him a lifetime discount for providing them with an anti-thief charm. Their second stop was for metal shavings. Aaron didn’t use them often, but with the coming winter he knew it was best to stock up just in case a illness hit the town. The blacksmith had stared at Lafayette the whole time with cold, untrusting eyes. Aaron rushed through the transaction to get the hunter out of there as quickly as possible before any trouble started. The smith’s harsh slur as they walked out the door still bounced around in Aaron’s mind. 

“Godless hunter.” 

He’d tried to talk Lafayette out of wearing his jacket with the Coven symbol on the back, but he didn’t listen, or he just didn’t care how people react when they saw him. Aaron understood the blacksmiths and older shopkeeper’s reactions. Most people didn’t trust hunters, especially not one as young as Lafayette. Usually it was the younger ones, the ones trying to prove themselves too quickly, who broke the code. 

“Are they gonna treat you differently ‘cause they saw you with me?” Lafayette wondered, a hint of guilt and regret in his tone. Aaron quickly shook his head. 

“No, no, they’re just....they’re just scared, but they don’t want to show it so they’re acting tough and angry. I’m sure they got over it once we left.” 

“What the blacksmith said, that was an insult?” 

“Oh yes,” Bellamy answered before Aaron could, “Rather deep cutting one too if he’d said it towards Aaron or me.” 

“I’ve never heard it before,” Lafayette admitted. 

“Other people haven’t called you that?” 

“Honestly, other people don’t react badly when they see me like those people did.” 

“That’s because all those people have seen were the type of people that some Coven members hunt. It’s hard to tell the difference between a good hunter and a bad one,” Aaron explained. 

“Just like it’s hard to tell the difference between a good and bad witch,” Lafayette sharply replied. 

“That’s not what I meant.” 

“I know what you meant.” 

Aaron grabbed his arm and grabbed Lafayette to the side of the street where the crowd was thinner. He kept his grip on Lafayette’s jacket to ensure the hunter couldn’t get away. 

“No, you don’t,” he insisted. Lafayette avoiding looking at him in favor of staring at the people walking by. Bellamy huffed, poking his nose against his cheek until Lafayette was forced to turn his head. “ I didn’t mean to offend you or make you feel bad. It’s just....you might be the first hunter that those people have seen who wasn’t trying to kill them. Think about how I was when we first met. I wasn’t sure if you were going to listen or just kill me in Hercules’ inn. They’re judging you based on what they’ve seeing, and that’s bullshit. I may understand where the fear comes from, but it’s still not fair. I wish...I wish there was a way to make them see, but that takes time.” 

“I’m sorry. I know you didn’t mean it like that,” Lafayette assured him, reaching up to run his hand over Bellamy’s fur as he looked down at his feet. “I don’t want people to be scared of me. I didn’t join the Coven to scare people. I joined it to help and it sucks that some people, your people, and I mean that in a good way, only see me as the enemy.” 

“Can I ask you a question?” 

“Sure.” 

“You said you joined the Coven to help people. Is that the only reason?” He quietly asked. If Lafayette refused to answer, he would accept that, but the question had been nagging him for a while. Lafayette smiled, nodding his head. 

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask. It wasn’t...It wasn’t my goal in live. I honestly grew up rather sheltered, far away from creatures of the night or people who could use magic to make things a little easier. It wasn’t until I was thirteen that I came into contact with it. I had a partner, a woman I was arranged to marry and I loved her from the first time I set eyes on her. She laughed at a lame joke and danced like her feet were made to define gravity. I was excited about our marriage, about our future, but then...then a monster took her. We were walking in the garden. I only looked away for one moment to pick a flower and when I turned back she was gone. I heard her scream.” He paused, staring off into the distance with a haunted look on his face. Aaron couldn’t help himself. He reached out and took Lafayette’s hand, holding it tightly as the man continued his story. 

“That was the last time I ever saw her. By the time the hunters arrived, it was too late. The monster killed my love. The hunters made it pay for what it did, but that didn’t take away my pain. I was so angry, so out of my mind with grief that I begged the hunters to take me with them. I wanted to learn how to kill the very monsters who took her away from me. Thankfully, the leader of the French Coven, Rochambeau, refused to let me go on any missions until I’d calm down. At first, I was pissed at him, but now I realize he was trying to protect me from myself. I was so blind in my own pain that I would have easily gone against the code. I spent three years training before I was allowed to go on a hunt. By then, my grief had faded to a dull pain and I was more level headed.” 

“I’m sorry,” Aaron softly told him. Lafayette shook his head. 

“It’s...I’ve had time to come to terms with it. Part of my heart understands why Monty did what he did. I think if I had that power, if I had that chance, I would have tried to bring her back that way too. But that still doesn’t make it right. Not when other people get hurt.” 

“How many hunts have you been on?” Aaron wondered. 

“Too many to count now,” he admitted. “And...and I know what you mean when you talk about people who don’t follow the code.”

“You do?” 

“Yes,” Lafayette nodded, “During my last hunt in France I was paired up with two men who didn’t want to follow the code. They wanted to kill the victim along with the monster. I fought them, and got the woman to safety, but they didn’t handle it well. They went around slandering my name to anyone who would listen. I had to get out of there. Rochambeau encouraged me to leave, to get away from France for a while. I miss my home, but if I had stayed things would’ve only gotten worse. 

“Does Rochambeau know about the ones who break the code?” 

“He does. And they are always punished, but the men had already turned enough people against me that Rochambeau believed it would be safer for me to come to America until the drama dies down.” 

“You’re nothing like those men,” Aaron said firmly. Lafayette gave him a small smile, but Aaron could still see the sadness in his eyes. He hated seeing such a look on the hunter’s face. It made his heart ache. He had to do something to make it go away, something to help Lafayette forget his past for a little while. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat. My treat.” 

“That would be nice.” 

Aaron pulled Lafayette down the street, holding the man’s hand tightly in order to not lose him in the crowd as they made their way through the city. Aaron choose a upscale restaurant overlooking the water. They got a table in the corner where nobody would notice Bellamy sitting on Lafayette’s lap, or see the symbol on the back of his jacket. At first, Lafayette was quieter than normal, but he slowly started to relax again once their food came. It was only when the server came back that Aaron noticed the way Lafayette’s eyes lingered on the man. A small prick of pain went through Aaron’s chest, but he forced it to go away as he turned his attention to the view. 

“I’m done shopping for the day,” Aaron said once the server walked away once again. “I’m planning to head back to the inn and rest.” 

“Okay?” 

“I’m just saying...if you want to...do whatever it is you want to do then you should.” 

Lafayette stared at him for a long moment. Aaron had a hard time meeting his eyes. Part of him wanted to take his words back and ask Lafayette to go down to the harbor with him, yet a small part of him screamed no. No matter how Aaron felt, Lafayette was still a Coven member, still a hunter who saw Aaron as something dangerous. Aaron might like him, and his heart might be a traitor, but that didn’t change reality. Lafayette opened his mouth to say something, but then the server returned out of nowhere and his attention was stolen away. Bellamy switched from Lafayette to Aaron, digging his claws into Aaron’s leg in an attempt to make him look down. Aaron ignored him, too busy staring at the the ships in the harbor. 

“Are you sure I can’t get you anything else? Something sweet perhaps?” The server offered. Aaron tried not to scowl at the words. Could the server be any more obvious? 

“Like I said I don’t.....” Lafayette trailed off, “You know what? That would be nice,” Aaron bit his lip hard to prevent any words from coming out. Part of him wasn’t that shocked that the hunter changed his mind, agreeing with the server’s suggestions after denying him twice already. 

“If you come with me I can give you a very special, secret dessert.” 

Lafayette didn’t even bother replying, already out of his seat before the man could finish speaking. Aaron’s stomach twisted into knots as he listened to the server walk away. Bellamy dug his claws in until Aaron cried out in pain and glared down at his friend. 

“What do you want?!” 

“Are you stupid?” Bellamy hissed, finally pulling his claws out, “You need to go after him!” 

“Are you crazy?” Aaron whispered. “I don’t really think I need to watch him do whatever it is they’re gonna do.” 

“Aaron, don’t do this. Don’t let your feelings blind you to what’s happening.” 

“You’re the one who said I should be careful.” 

“This is different.” 

“How!?” 

“Because that was an incubus, you hopeless man.”

“Wait, what?” 

“You were too busy looking for a ship to throw yourself off of that you didn’t see his eyes change colors. Why else would Lafayette suddenly agree to dessert? The only dessert he wants is you.” 

“Fuck,” Aaron muttered. “And shut up. He does _not_ want me.” 

“Hopeless. Now let’s go before your boy gets eaten.” 

“He’s not my boy.” 

Nevertheless, Aaron jumped out of his chair and followed Bellamy through the restaurant. Hopefully, they weren’t already too late.


	12. Demon in the Dark

“This way,” Bellamy urged, running through the back alleys as he followed Lafayette’s scent. Aaron chased after him, already pulling items out of his bag that he could use against the sex demon. Incubus, and their counterparts, succubus, were difficult to deal with. They had the ability to get into people’s heads and had a habit of using humans as shields. Aaron had only faced two before, and both times he had help from a local group of witches. This would be his first time going at it alone. He had to be careful. There was too much at stake. He couldn’t kill the demon until Lafayette was free from its control, but he would also have to avoid falling under the incubus’ spell himself. 

“We’re close,” Bellamy whispered as he slowed down. He pressed himself against the wall to stay hidden as Aaron finished gathering his supplies. He glanced back down the alleyway to check for any people before casting a shield spell to block off the area. The last thing he needed was other people getting in his way. He gave Bellamy a firm nod. Together, they rounded a corner and came upon a familiar scene. 

The server from before had Lafayette pressed up against the wall, their lips locked together in a passionate kiss. Most people wouldn’t think anything of such a display of affection, but Aaron could see the white energy being sucked away from Lafayette’s soul. A powerful incubus could drain a human in an hour, while witches and werewolves took longer. Lesser incubus needed more time and a stronger connection. Within seconds, Aaron knew just how strong of a creature he was dealing with. Bellamy hissed, drawing the demon’s attention away from Lafayette. 

“Ohhhh, you must be Aaron,” the incubus purred, “he’s been muttering your name. I confess I was hoping you’d come just so you can watch me finish him off.” Aaron didn’t bother replying. He wasn’t going to give the demon the satisfaction of getting under his skin. He cast a quick spell over the salt in his hand, then threw it down the alley. He added to gust of wind to ensure that the salt hit it’s mark. The demon cried out in pain, releasing Lafayette as its hands patted the burns left by the blessed salt. 

“Good trick, little witch, but it won’t be enough.” 

“Bellamy,” Aaron muttered. That was the only warning his friend got before Aaron twisted his hand and forced Bellamy to grew five times his normal size. The demon’s eyes went wide with fear and shock, giving Bellamy enough time to pounce. With the incubus distracted, Aaron made his way over to Lafayette. He grabbed the hunter by the shoulders and shook him violently. 

“Come on, come on. Snap out of it!” he begged. Lafayette’s eyes were still glazed over, and he showed no signs of hearing Aaron’s words. “Damn it!” 

“Hurry, Aaron!” Bellamy yelled. 

“Sorry about this,” Aaron offered before slapping Lafayette as hard as he could. He took a moment to shake the pain out of his hand, he turned to see the hunter’s face back toward him. Still nothing. Just as dazed as before. 

“Goddess help me. What do I do? What do I do?” 

“Aaron!” Bellamy pressed as the incubus started to gain the upper hand. There had to be something else he was missing. Something he forgot about the previous times. The first time, pain had been enough to snap the woman out of the trace and they’d been able to get rid of the incubus right after, but the second time....what had they done the second time? Aaron snapped his fingers as the memory came rushing back. It was worth a shot and it was all he had left. He grabbed Lafayette by his jacket and pulled him down for a soft kiss. Aaron squeezed his eyes shut, begging the Goddess to free Lafayette from this curse. 

“No!” The incubus screamed. Aaron pulled away, hopeful that the demon’s protest meant it worked. Sure enough, Lafayette blinked down at him in confusion before looking around the alleyway. 

“What is going on?” He asked. 

“Sit tight. I’ll handle this,” Aaron replied, pushing him down to the ground and turning back towards the demon. “Bellamy!” 

His friend retreated back to his side as Aaron unhooked the rope from his waist. 

“You stupid, little witch,” the demon growled, stalking towards them with a fiery look on its face. Its glamour had been torn into places by Bellamy’s claws, showing off the demon’s true form. “You think this is over!? I’ll drain you first then finish him off! You’re not leaving here alive!” 

“Avoid his eyes!” Bellamy warned. Aaron quickly looked down at the ground before the incubus could try to get into his head, but he had to look up every now and again as he prepped the rope and his spell. 

“Aaron,” Lafayette muttered. 

“Just stay down,” Aaron ordered, taking a deep breathe before casting out the rope. The demon jumped to one side and the rope sailed passed. 

“Did you really think that was going to work?” It taunted him, but Aaron just smiled. With a nod of his head, the rope came flying back towards the demon and formed a circle around its feet. The demon tried to walk forward, but was forced back by the rope’s magic. It wasn’t the best cage, yet it was all Aaron had to work with. He would have to move quickly. 

“What-” 

“This rope is thin, but I call upon the powers of the North and the guardians of the Earth to give me strength within,” Aaron started to chant. The demon screamed in rage, banging its fist against the invisible walls. Aaron had to focus on keeping the rope’s circle from breaking while at the same time trying to finish his chant. His head felt like it was splitting in two. He couldn’t do it all. He was too weak. Too stretched out. The wind of the North suddenly blew through the alley. It carried with it a calming smell and wrapped around Aaron, whispering for him to keep going. To keep trying. Aaron sank into its embrace and focused on his spell while the wind kept the demon in its makeshift cage. “The moon is high in the sky and in my heart. It’s time for this demon to depart. Let the glorious light of the Goddess take this evil away where it will forever be out of sight.” 

The rope burst into flames, but that was only the first sign that his spell was working. Aaron repeated the spell two more times until finally a dark portal opened inside the circle. The demon shrieked in agony as a hand reached out and grabbed hold. Aaron tried his best to block out the sound as the incubus was dragged through the opening, but he knew it would haunt him later. 

“Thank you North for your strength. Thank you guardians for your strength. Thank you Goddess for your strength,” Aaron muttered, moving his hand in a circle to close the portal before anything else could take the opportunity to climb out. The fire went out, leaving only a ring of ash in its place. Aaron staggered over to the nearest wall and slid down to the ground as his legs gave out. 

“Bellamy, check on Laf,” he weakly ordered. 

“I’m okay,” Lafayette spoke up. 

“Good. That’s good.” 

“You don’t look so good,” Bellamy confessed. Aaron tried to stick his tongue out, but he wasn’t sure he pulled off the gesture. He’ll just shut his eyes for a moment. Just a few seconds. He heard footsteps nearby, but his eyes were too tired to open just yet. Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him against a warm chest. Aaron easily sank into the arms with a sigh. 

“Thank you,” Lafayette whispered.

“You’re welcome.” 

“I....You kissed me...”

“I did.” 

“Why?” 

“There’s only two ways to break an incubus’ spell,” Aaron explained, yawning as the last of the andreleine left his system. Using such a spell took too much energy out of him. Bellamy curled up in his lap and started licking his hands. Or at least he hoped it was Bellamy. It’d be awkward if it wasn’t. He laughed at the idea. 

“What two ways?” Lafayette pushed. It took Aaron a moment to remember what they were talking about. 

“Pain, but that didn’t work on you.” 

“It didn’t?” 

“Nope. So I had to go with my second plan which is romantic feelings. I didn’t know if it would work, but it did. Which is great. But we should probably talk about that at some point. The feelings I mean,” he replied, waving his hand at the idea of feelings. Feelings were complicated. He was not sure how to explain them or talk about them, but he would try. 

“We should,” Lafayette agreed. “But not right now. Right now we need to get back to the Inn.” 

“Yeah. The inn. Just give me a second and I’ll get up.” 

“He’s too tired,” Bellamy said, ignoring Aaron’s small noise of protest. “Banishment spells take a lot of magic. He won’t be able to get back by himself.” 

“I’ll take care of it,” Lafayette assured him. Aaron must have fall asleep at some point after that. The next thing he could remember was Lafayette snapping at Bellamy to open the door, then something soft being pressed against his forehead. When he finally opened his eyes, the morning sun was shining into the room. Aaron rubbed his eyes and looked around, unsurprised to see Bellamy sleeping at the foot of his bed. What was surprising was the letter with his name written on the front placed on the pillow next to him. He quickly ripped it open, eyes scanning the words as fast as he could. 

_Aaron,_

_By the time you find this letter, I will have already left the city. I know I agreed what we should talk, but I decided that it’s best if we part ways before things can get any worse. I owe you my life for what you did for me, and I promise that I will write the best report possible about your behavior to the Coven; however, I can no longer travel with you. The way you feel about me will never work out. This isn’t easy for me, and it pains me to leave without really saying goodbye, but I knew that if I tried to do this in person I would never leave. You have the ability to worm your way into anyone’s heart, even mine, but I cannot let that stop me from returning to my job. You are an amazing person, Aaron. You care so strongly for all people and your strength truly comes from your heart. It was my honor and pleasure to meet you. If we ever get the chance to meet each other again, I hope you will be able to forgive me for leaving you this way._

_I wish you the best, and may the Goddess bless your travels._

_Signed,_

_Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette_

Aaron read the letter again and again and again in disbelief. It couldn’t be true. Lafayette didn’t just up and leave him. He didn’t, yet here it was written out as plain as can be. Aaron’s heart twisted in pain and anger. Without thinking, he crumpled the letter up in his hands and tore it into a thousand pieces. The coward! Running away instead of facing Aaron like a man! The noise woke Bellamy up, the cat staring at him with a confused expression. Aaron’s anger faded away into sadness. 

“I’m sorry,” Bellamy offered, “I tried to stop him.” Aaron shook his head, snapping his fingers and watching as the letter repaired itself. He didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want to face the truth just yet. Instead, he sank underneath the covers, pulling the blanket over his head, and tried to fall back asleep. Maybe if he tried waking up again Lafayette would suddenly be here. It was a foolish idea, but Aaron couldn’t help but try it. He was so tired of losing people, of being left alone. It was stupid of him to catch feelings for the hunter. He should have seen this coming, but he couldn’t stop his heart from wanting what it wanted. Now he would just have to live with the pain of rejection.


	13. Facing the Stakes

Aaron and Bellamy walked in silence down the dirt road. After saying in the city for two more days they decided to leave earlier than originally planned, though Aaron promised they would take their time on their way back home. He’d hidden Lafayette’s letter deep within his cloak, but the words felt like a brand against his skin. He couldn’t stop thinking about what the hunter had written. If only Aaron hadn’t been so tired. He would have been able to stop Lafayette from leaving. They would have gotten a chance to talk. Bellamy asked a few times if Aaron wanted to talk about it, but Aaron knew there was nothing he could say that would ease the pain. He was still surprised that he even felt this bad in the first place. He didn’t know how truly invested he had become in Lafayette until the man was gone. 

Bellamy started licking Aaron’s head, grooming him in a way to offer some comfort without having to say a word. Normally, Aaron would tell him to stop, but this time he let Bellamy do it. The cat was probably missing Lafayette too. They’d become somewhat like friends during the trip with their jokes and teases. It felt like there was a hole in their life, a hole that Aaron hadn’t felt since Monty died. 

Aaron sighed and snapped his fingers to bring out Lafayette’s letter again. He read the words a few more times, searching the words for new meanings or some secret message. But nothing had changed. There was nothing among the rejection and goodbye that offered Aaron any hope or comfort.

“Put it away,” Bellamy ordered, giving Aaron’s ear a firm nip. Aaron batted at him, yet obeyed and returned the letter to his pocket. 

“Guess I was just being stupid like you said,” he muttered. 

“I think...I think I was wrong,” Bellamy confessed, “I think....maybe Lafayette would have been good for you. He understood you better than most people. Understood your need to help everyone you meet. He had a good heart.” 

“He did,” Aaron agreed, “but like he said, it wasn’t meant to be.” 

“Maybe it wasn’t. But Lafayette’s not the only person in the world. You’ll find someone one day. I just know it.” 

“That makes one of us.” 

“Aaron.” 

“Hey, I have you. I don’t really need anyone else.” 

“That doesn’t mean you can’t feel lonely,” Bellamy told him. 

“I’m not lonely.” 

His friend didn’t reply, instead turning back to licking all over his head. Aaron grumbled under his breath, but still didn’t try to stop him. 

“Help!” A frightened voice broke through their calm environment. Aaron froze, looking around at the trees for the source of the noise. “Help me!” 

“To the east,” Bellamy guided him. Aaron took off into the trees. After fifty yards or so he came upon a wide river where a man was fighting against the current. 

“Help! I can-I can’t swim!” the man shouted as he fought to stay about the surface. Aaron glanced up and down the riverbank for something to use, but there wasn’t anything that caught his eye. Seeing no other choice, he twisted his hands together to form a rope with his own magic. 

“Grab on!” He called as he threw the rope out to the man. As soon as he grabbed on, Aaron sent another spell to help keep him above the water even as the current tried to take him away. “Rest now! I’ll pull you in!” Slowly Aaron reeled the rope in, inching the man closer and closer to the bank where the water was more shallow. Even after the man reached a safe area he kept hold of the rope to give the man a moment to catch his breath. 

“Are you alright?” Aaron wondered, keeping his distance for now as he scanned the man for injuries. 

“I am,” the man replied. “Thank you. I didn’t think anyone would come.” 

“You’re very lucky,” he confessed, “I heard you from the road, but there’s no one else for miles. The nearest village is almost a day away.” 

“Almost day away?” 

“Give or take a few hours.” 

“Aaron,” Bellamy whispered in his ears. “His hand.” Aaron kept a worried look on his face as he tried to see the man’s hand. Dread sent a chill down Aaron’s spine when he finally saw the familiar red mark. A Coven member. Aaron dropped the rope. 

“Run,” Bellamy urged. He didn’t need to be told twice. Aaron took off back towards the trees, but he didn’t make it before something hard hit the back of his neck. He fell face first into the grass as the world started to spin. Black dots started to block out his vision as voices echoed through his mind. 

“Bound his hands,” someone ordered, “and get the wood ready.” 

“What about the cat?” 

“Lock it up.” 

“Throw his stuff on the pile too.” 

“Wait, let’s see if he has anything good.” 

“I like his cloak.” 

Aaron tried to stay awake, but the pain in his head soon became too much and he falls into the darkness in order to escape how much it hurt. 

When he awoke the sun had moved behind the trees and the sky was an array of reds, purples, and pinks. When he looked around, he saw a tent about twenty feet away next to a small fire. He was tied to a tall log with a pile of wood at his feet. He struggled against the rope around his wrists, but he couldn’t get the knots undone. Aaron shut his eyes and tried to summon a small flame to burn the rope. A sharp pain explode from inside his chest. Aaron cried out, begging it to stop. It was only after he pushed his magic away that the pain eased. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a smug voice warned. Aaron looked over to see the same man from the river standing a few feet away. He had Aaron’s cloak wrapped around his shoulder and a gun in his hand. Aaron tried not to openly scowl too much at the sight of him, but it was hard not to be angry. “There’s a binding spell on the rope. Any magic and you’ll get a taste of the agony awaiting you in hell.” 

“You’re breaking the code of the Coven,” Aaron told him. The man gave him a sharp glare. “I’ve done nothing wrong. You’re going against-” 

“Shut up,” another voice snapped. A woman wearing a jacket similar to Lafayette's stepped out of a tent, holding Bellamy by the scruff of his neck. The cat tried to escape her hold, but she shook him whenever he started moving too much. “You don’t know anything about the code or the Coven.” 

“I know enough to know that you’re betraying everything the Coven stands for! This isn’t right!” 

“Says the monster.” 

“I’m not a monster.” 

“All witches are monsters,” the women growled. 

“All witches should burn,” the man added. Three more people came out of the tent, glancing at Aaron before whispering to one another. All of them were so young. 

“You’re not-” 

“Silence!” the woman ordered, nodding to one of the others. A younger girl, so young and Aaron’s heart ached for her, walked over to the fire and grabbed a burning stick. She carried it over to the woman, her eyes never leaving Aaron’s. He struggled harder against the rope until they started to dig into his skin but they kept their hold on his wrists. Bellamy angrily meowed and hissed, trying to get free. He was finally able to twist just right and bite the woman’s arm. 

“Fuck!” She cried out, letting Bellamy go. He landed on his feet before taking off into the trees. Aaron let out a sigh of relief. At least Bellamy was safe. Aaron prayed to the Goddess that he didn’t come back. There was too many hunters and Aaron was powerless. 

“Seems like your cat only cares about himself,” the man taunted. Aaron ignored the words, too busy watching as the young girl passed the burning branch to the woman. With a furious look the woman walked towards Aaron. 

“Any last words?” she wondered. 

“Please,” Aaron softly begged. “Don’t do this.” The woman stared at him for a long time, but her eyes never lost their anger. She threw the branch into the pile of wood, lighting the stake on fire. Aaron leaned his head back and stared up at the changing sky. He shut his eyes, deciding it was best not to look. He took long, deep breaths to keep himself calm even as the tears came. 

“Goddess, please grant me one last thing,” he whispered. “Please keep them safe. Please. Don’t let anything happen to the town. Please keep Maria and Sally safe from hunters. Keep George going strong. Please let Patsy find another teacher and let Philip become a good leader. Let Frances keep being creative and kind. Guide Bellamy for the rest of his days and....and please bring Lafayette peace. Please, Goddess. That’s all I want. Let my soul pay the price to keep them all safe.” 

“Shut up,” the young girl snapped. Aaron looked down at her, noticing the fear in her eyes. He gave her what he hoped was a kind look, but it was hard for him to be sure. The flames grew, licking at Aaron’s boots and trousers. It was warm, yet Aaron didn’t feel any pain. It was only a matter of time. He couldn’t help but shake as the idea sank in. This was really it. Was he ready? 

_Bang!_

A bullet struck the gun between the hunters, sending them all into a panic. 

“What was that?!” The woman snapped at the others. 

“What did you do?” the man aimed the question at Aaron, but before he could give an answer a large black horse with a hooded rider broke through the trees. The younger hunters scattered in terror as the woman tried to stand her ground. The horse stopped right in front of her as the hooded rider looked down at her. Suddenly, Bellamy poked his head out from under the hooded rider’s cloak. 

“Fuck them up!” Bellamy ordered. The rider tore off his hood. 

“Lafayette?” Aaron said in shock. The man flashed him a bright smile before letting out a whistle. Suddenly, five more riders appeared and took to rounding up the other hunters. Lafayette jumped down from his horse and quickly made his way over to Aaron. A rider quickly came over with a bucket of water to put out enough of the fire, but Aaron still didn’t want Lafayette to get too close. 

“Stay back,” Aaron begged. “You’ll get hur-

“I’ll be fine,” Lafayette assured him, already stepping up on the wood to cut Aaron’s free, “Sorry it took so long.” Aaron didn’t know what to say as Lafayette helped him down. He couldn’t help but stare at Lafayette the whole time, trying to figure out if he was dreaming or not. The man held him in his arms for much too longer, but Aaron enjoyed it while he could. This might be the last time he’ll ever see Lafayette and he wanted to make the most of it. 

“You should probably set me down,” he confessed when he noticing another rider who came with Lafayette staring at them. 

“Okay,” Lafayette agreed, carefully setting Aaron on his feet. Pain shot through his legs as soon as he tried to put weight on them, but he forced it not to show on his face as he slowly took a seat on the ground instead. He waved his hand over his melt boot and pulled it off. 

“I need my bag,” he muttered, looking around hopelessly. 

“This bag?” a rider asked. He walked over and presented Aaron with his pack. Aaron hesitate in taking it, unsure if he should trust these hunters. Just because they came with Lafayette didn’t mean they were good people. “Oh, sorry. I’m Charles. I’m a member of the Coven who is in charge of hunting other members who don’t follow the code.” Aaron finally took his bag and searched through it to find his medical supplies. 

“Can I help?” another hunter offered, “I have medical experience.” Again, Aaron didn’t feel so sure, but the pain was getting worse now and he finally gave a weak nod. The man, no boy. He was much too young to be a man, rushed over and got to work getting the burned part of Aaron’s trousers out of the way and treating the burns. 

“I’m Samuel. You must be Aaron. Lafayette told us all about you,” the boy explained as he took great care doing his work. 

“I’m sure he did,” Aaron muttered, looking around for Lafayette. He couldn’t see him anywhere. Maybe he already moved on. Aaron turned back to watching Samuel work, snapping at himself to not get his hopes up. 

“Aaron?” Bellamy came over, giving Aaron a sad look as he stared at the wounds. 

“I’m okay,” Aaron assured him, reaching out to pet his ears. “They don’t hurt.” 

“You don’t have to lie.” 

“They didn’t hurt at the time....” 

“But now?” 

“Now it’s just a little pain. Samuel’s already making it feel a lot better.” 

The boy lit up at the praise, taking even more time to make sure everything he did was perfect. Aaron wasn’t lying that his work was helping. He was generous with the cream and clearly knew what he was doing. Aaron wasn’t sure why it hadn’t hurt when he was on the stake, but he was grateful. 

“I’m sorry it took me so long to bring help,” Bellamy muttered, moving closer and rubbing his head against Aaron’s arm. 

“You did great,” Aaron replied. “Thank you. How did you know where to find them?” 

“I didn’t. I just ran to the road and they were there.” 

“Just lucky I guess.” 

“Not really,” Samuel spoke up, “Charles has been trailing this group for weeks now. We were in the area looking for them when Bellamy ran into the street. Lafayette recognized him while Charles and I recognized the woman he spoke of.”

“And you don’t call that luck?” Bellamy asked. Poor Samuel opened and closed his mouth a few times before his cheeks went red. 

“I’m glad that we were lucky enough to run into you,” Aaron told him. Samuel gave him a shy grin and finished up his work. 

“Sammy,” Charles called. The boy rushed to his side, leaving Aaron alone with Bellamy. 

“I’m sorry, Bells,” Aaron muttered, pulling his knees up to his chest.

“For what?” 

“I shouldn’t have stopped to help. I should have just kept walking.” 

“Aaron, if you hadn’t stopped it would have haunted you for the rest of your life. You didn’t know it was a hunter. You didn’t know what they were planning. All you knew is that someone needed help and you tried to offer that. That will never be a bad thing. Never.” 

“But you don’t-” 

“I worry about you,” Bellamy cut him off. “I worry because you’ll get hurt. This isn’t the first time, nor is it the last, and I wish sometimes you were a little bit more careful, but.. but I’ve been unfair. You do great things when you help people, Aaron, and I would never want you to stop doing that. And this is not your fault.” 

“It feels like it is.” 

“It isn’t,” Lafayette’s voice cut into their conversation. Aaron looked up in shock to see the hunter standing a foot away holding Aaron’s cloak. Bellamy let out a low growl.

“I got this back for you,” Lafayette muttered, offering it to Aaron. 

“Thanks,” Aaron replied, “You can just drop it there. I’ll get it in a minute.” Instead of following Aaron’s instructions, Lafayette stepped forward and wrapped the cloak around his shoulders. Bellamy hissed at him, but Lafayette only scratched him behind his ears until he calmed down. Aaron rolled his eyes at how easily his friend was won over. 

“Samuel took care of you?” 

“Yeah. I’m fine now.” 

“Aaron-” 

“Guess we’re even now?” 

“What?” 

“I saved your life and you saved mine,” he explained, unable to keep some of the bitterness out of his voice. At least Lafayette had the courtesy to look ashamed. Aaron looked away and shook his head, wishing that the man would leave him alone but also praying that he would never leave. 

“I owe you a better explanation,” Lafayette admitted, rubbing the back of his head and glancing at the others.

“You owe me nothing.” 

“Aaron-” 

“I’m serious,” Aaron cut him off. “I don’t need another explanation. Your letter was enough.” 

“It wasn’t. It was unfair and the coward’s way out. I just....I didn’t know what else to do. I became a Coven member for revenge, to get back at the monster....at the witch who killed my partner. I never thought that years later I would meet another witch who would change my whole world,” Lafayette said. Aaron stared at him in shock. A witch killed his partner?! No wonder Lafayette had had so many bitter feelings towards him in the beginning. Aaron couldn’t help but laugh as he shook his head. 

“Aren’t we quite a pair?” He sighed, glancing up at the early night sky. 

“What do you mean?” Lafayette asked. 

“The two of us falling for the one we thought we’d always hate. You with a witch and me with a hunter. You were right. It will never happen.” 

“I was wrong!” Lafayette nearly shouted. Aaron jumped, looking back at him in shock. Lafayette himself looked surprised by his outburst, a hand over his mouth and his eyes wide with fear. Slowly, he uncovered his mouth. “I was wrong. I was scared so I tried to push my feelings away, but this...I think this could work if we wanted it to. If we wanted to try that is.” 

“So you didn’t mean what you said in the letter?” Aaron wondered. 

“I do think you’re an amazing person,” Lafayette assured him, “But the part of this never working out was a lie. I was just...just...” 

“An idiot” Bellamy offered. 

“Sure, let’s go with that.” 

Aaron glanced back at the stake as he tried to collect his thoughts. It should be an easy decision. He should want to throw himself in Lafayette’s arms and forget about the letter, but life wasn’t that easy and he couldn’t get passed his own fear. A gentle hand touched his shoulder, drawing his attention away from the charred wood. 

“I’m sorry, Aaron,” Lafayette whispered. “If I had been traveling with you then they would never have attacked you. I won’t...I can’t forgive myself for that, but this...what I’m telling you now isn’t out of pity or sympathy. I wanted to tell you that night before the incubus made its move. I wanted to tell you how you made me believe that magic can be a good thing. I’m sorry I ran. I’ll never forgive myself for that, but...but if you could find it in your heart to give me a second chance it would mean the world to me.” 

“Oh for the love of- Aaron, just say yes and kiss already!” Bellamy snapped. 

“Bellamy!” 

“What!? You know you want to! Sure, you’re scared, but you’ve always believed in second chances!” 

“Bellamy, please,” Lafayette begged, “He needs to-” 

“He’s right,” Aaron gently cut him off, “I’ve always believed in second chances, and I....I want to give you one. I want to try because if we don’t then it’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.” 

“Thank you. I don’t deserve it, but thank you-” 

“Just kiss already!” Bellamy demanded. 

Lafayette gently pushed the cat aside and leaned into place a soft kiss on Aaron’s lips. Aaron shut his eyes, melting into the gesture. They still needed to talk, and Aaron would need to rest before he could travel the rest of the way home, but for a moment everything was exactly the way it was supposed to be. The pain in Aaron’s heart eased, disappearing altogether when Lafayette pulled him forward into a tight hug. Samuel let out a cooing noise while some of the other hunters whistled. Aaron didn’t pay any attention to them as he opened his eyes to look at Lafayette. 

“I’m glad I met you,” he whispered. 

“Me too.” 

“We’re gonna need a bigger house,” Bellamy muttered in dismay. 

 

 

The End.


End file.
